Laura now forecast to be a ‘catastrophic’ Category 4 hurricane

By JEFF MARTIN, JOHN MONE and STACEY PLAISANCE | Associated Press
GALVESTON, Texas — Hurricane Laura is forecast to rapidly power up into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane, even stronger than previously expected, as it churns toward Texas and Louisiana, swirling wind and water over much of the Gulf of Mexico.
Satellite images show Laura has become “a formidable hurricane” in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a