Overall Orange alert Tropical Cyclone for LAURA-20
in United States, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands U.S., Virgin Islands British, Anguilla, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Turks and Caicos Islands, Dominica

Event summary

Tropical Cyclone LAURA-20 can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

GDACS ID TC 1000700
Name LAURA-20
Glide number: TC-2020-000189-USA
From - To 20 Aug - 28 Aug
Exposed countries United States, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands U.S., Virgin Islands British, Anguilla, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Turks and Caicos Islands, Dominica
Exposed population 1.2 million in Category 1 or higher
Maximum wind speed 241 km/h Category 4
Maximum storm surge 1.9 m (25 Aug 01:00 UTC)
Vulnerability Low (United States)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS alert score click here.
Wind Storm surge Rainfall GDACS score
GDACS NOAA 83 km/h 3 m n.a. 0.5
Single TC: maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge, rainfall)
HWRF 234 km/h 4.2 m 741 mm 1.5
GFS 176 km/h 2.9 m 385 mm 0.5
ECMWF 133 km/h 2.9 m 754 mm 0.5
Maximum expected impact (wind, storm surge and rainfall) using different data sources.
Virtual OSOCC
Meteo assessment
Satellite products
Analytical products
Lesser Antilles, The Caribbean - Tropical Cyclone THIRTEEN (ECHO 20 Aug 2020)Thu, 20 Aug 2020 13:03

  • Tropical Cyclone THIRTEEN formed over the Atlantic Ocean, moving west-north-west towards the northern Leeward Islands (northern Lesser Antilles). On 20 August at 3.00 UTC, its centre was approximately 1,530 km east-southeast of Barbuda, with maximum sustained wind of 56 km/h (tropical depression).
  • THIRTEEN will strengthen as it continues west-northwest, before passing close to the northern Leeward Islands on 21 August, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on 22 August, with maximum sustained winds up to 74 km/h (tropical storm).
  • Heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surge are forecast over the northern Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico on 21-23 August. A tropical storm watch has been issued for Saba and Sint Eustatius (northern Leeward Islands).
Lesser Antilles, The Caribbean - Tropical Cyclone THIRTEEN update (ECHO 21 Aug 2020)Fri, 21 Aug 2020 13:06

  • Tropical Cyclone THIRTEEN continued west-northwest towards the northern Leeward Islands (northern Lesser Antilles). On 21 August at 3.00 UTC, its centre was approximately 563 km east of Antigua, with maximum sustained wind of 56 km/h (tropical depression).
  • THIRTEEN is expected to pass close to the northern Leeward Islands on 21 August before intensifying into a tropical storm close to the northern Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, northern Hispaniola on 22 August, and the Bahamas on 23 August.
  • A tropical storm watch is in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, Virgin Islands, Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy,  Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla.
The Caribbean, USA - Tropical Cyclone LAURA (ECHO 24 Aug 2020)Mon, 24 Aug 2020 13:10

  • Tropical Cyclone LAURA passed over parts of Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti on 22-23 August. On 24 August at 3.00 UTC, its centre was 59 km south-east of Mazanillo City (Granma Province) with maximum sustained winds of 102 km/h (tropical storm). 
  • According to UN OCHA, 9 people died and 2 are missing in Haiti, houses are flooded and roads blocked. Media report 3 deaths in the Domenican Republic, 1,000 evacuated and 1million without power. Evacuations are ongoing in eastern Cuba.
  • LAURA will strengthen into a hurricane as it moves north-west across the Gulf of Mexico with maximum sustained winds up to 160-170 km/h before making landfall over coastal Louisiana on 26-27 August, which is also due to be affected by Tropical Storm MARCO's passage on 24-25 August.
  • Heavy rain and strong winds are forecast over Western Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Cayman Islands, Florida Keys, Turks and Caicos Islands and the Northwest Bahamas.
  • A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Cayman Islands, several Provinces of Cuba, and Dry Tortugas Island.
USA, The Caribbean - Tropical Cyclones Laura and Marco update (ECHO 25 Aug 2020)Tue, 25 Aug 2020 13:09

  • Tropical Storm LAURA is strengthening as it moves north-west over the Gulf of Mexico. On 25 August at 6.00 UTC, its centre was 85 km north of the western tip of Cuba. LAURA is forecast to make landfall over the south-west coast of Louisiana early on 27 August as a Category 2 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds up to 175 km/h.
  • In parallel, Tropical Storm MARCO reached the south-east coast of Louisiana on 24 August and is moving westward close to the southern coast of Louisiana as a tropical depression.
  • A State of Emergency has been declared for Louisiana, Texas and Mississipi as well as preventative evacuation orders.  
  • Heavy rain, strong winds and storm surge are forecast over western and northern Cuba today and across coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas from 26-29 August. 
  • A tropical storm warning remains in effect for northern Cuba, Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas and a hurricane watch has been issued from Port Bolivar (Texas) to west of Morgan City (Louisiana).
USA, The Caribbean - Tropical Cyclone LAURA update (ECHO 26 Aug 2020)Wed, 26 Aug 2020 13:09

  • Hurricane LAURA continues to intensify over the Gulf of Mexico. On 26 August at 6.00 UTC, its centre was 608 km south-east of Houston (Texas) with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (Category 2).
  • According to UN OCHA, 21 people died, 5 are missing and 600 houses were flooded in Haiti following LAURA's passage.
  • LAURA is forecast to make landfall over the south-west coast of Louisiana on 27 August as a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds up to 195 km/h. Evacuation orders have been issued for more than 385,000 residents in the Gulf Coast of Texas and for 200,000 people in south-west Louisiana.
  • A storm surge warning has been issued from San Luis Pass (Texas) to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, a hurricane warning from San Luis Pass (Texas) to Intracoastal City (Louisiana), a tropical storm warning from Sargent to San Luis Pass (Texas) and from East of Intracoastal City (Louisiana) to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.
USA, The Caribbean - Tropical Cyclone LAURA update (ECHO 27 Aug 2020)Thu, 27 Aug 2020 13:02

  • Hurricane LAURA made landfall close to Cameron Town (Louisiana) causing large storm surge, extreme winds and widespread flash floods across portions of Louisiana. On 27 August at 6.00 UTC, its centre was 48 km south-west of Lake Charles City (Louisiana) with maximum sustained winds of 240 km/h (Category 4).
  • Laura will move inland across Louisiana before turning north-west over Arkansas and the mid-Mississippi Valley on 27-28 August and the mid-Atlantic States on 29 August. More than 1.5 million people are under evacuation orders in Texas and Louisiana.
  • A storm surge warning is in effect from Freeport (Texas) to the Mouth of the Mississippi River, a hurricane warning from High Island (Texas) to Intracoastal City (Louisiana), a tropical storm warning from San Luis Pass to High Island (Texas) and from East of Intracoastal City (Louisiana) to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.
  • 4 people are confirmed to have died in the Dominican Republic following LAURA's passage, 282 people are displaced and almost 2,000 houses damaged.
USA - Tropical Cyclone LAURA update (ECHO 28 Aug 2020)Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:05

  • Hurricane LAURA is weakening as it moves north-west over Arkansas. On 28 August at 3.00 UTC, its centre was 28 km south-west of Searcy City (Arkansas) with maximum sustained winds of 56 km/h (tropical depression).
  • It will continue moving inland northwestward across north-eastern Arkansas and the mid-Mississippi Valley on 28 August, then the mid-Atlantic States on 29 August, and over the western Atlantic on 30 August.
  • According to media reports, six people died in Louisiana, several buildings were damaged or destroyed, at least 843,000 people remained without power in Texas and Louisiana, and 55,000 in Arkansas. In Westlake City (Louisiana), a chemical plant caught fire when hit by the hurricane, leading to a chlorine-infused plume of smoke skyward.
  • FEMA and its federal partners are mobilising help and emergency teams in the impacted areas.
  • On 28-30 August, heavy rainfall is forecast over central and northern Arkansas, southern Louisiana, Mississippi, western Tennessee, Lower Ohio Valleys and the Mid-Atlantic States.
  • Flash flood warnings are in effect over most parts of Arkansas, Tennessee, southwestern Missouri and southeastern Kentucky, tornado warnings for central Texas and northern Louisiana.  
The Caribbean, USA - Tropical Cyclone LAURA update (ECHO 31 Aug 2020)Mon, 31 Aug 2020 13:05

  • Following the passage of Hurricane LAURA, the number of fatalities and damage has increased across Haiti, USA and Dominican Republic.
  • According to UN OCHA, in Haiti, 31 people died, eight are still missing and 8,835 houses have been flooded or damaged. In USA, media report at least 16 deaths and 312,000 people still without power in Louisiana as of 30 August. In Dominican Republic, the UN reports four fatalities and 9,600 people evacuated.
  • For the next 24 hours, moderate to heavy rain is forecast over the south-eastern and central-eastern States of USA while moderate rain is expected over most parts of Hispaniola Island and southern Cuba.
Detailed event map. European Union, 2024. Map produced by EC-JRC.
The boundaries and the names shown on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the European Union.

Updates on volcanic activity (Smithsonian)

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Estimated casualties (PAGER)

USGS estimates the number of casualties for each earthquake for the Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) product.
The graph shows the current fatalities estimate.

Exposed population

Analytical products

Daily Maps:

31/Aug/2020 06:59 UTC

Data, images, links, services and documents

For this events, GDACS has links to information from the following sources: EC-JRC (38), (2), WMO (1), INFORM (2),