The Gulf of Mexico is facing a rare and dangerous situation as two tropical systems are on track to potentially become hurricanes simultaneously. Tropical Storm Laura, currently moving through the Caribbean, is expected to strengthen into a hurricane, and forecasters are closely monitoring another system developing in the Gulf that could also intensify into a hurricane. This unprecedented scenario could bring significant threats to the U.S. Gulf Coast early next week.
According to the National Hurricane Center, both storms are predicted to gain strength over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. One system, currently Tropical Depression 14, is anticipated to impact the Texas-Louisiana border region. The other, Tropical Storm Laura, is projected to reach areas closer to the Florida Panhandle. Both systems are expected to reach hurricane status possibly by Monday or Tuesday, posing a dual hurricane threat to the Gulf Coast.
Meteorologist Philip Klotzbach highlighted the historical rarity of this event, stating on Twitter, “If that were to occur, it would be first time on record that the Gulf of Mexico has had 2 hurricanes at the same time.” The Weather Prediction Center also noted the rarity, pointing back to 1933 as a historical example of two tropical cyclones sharing the Gulf of Mexico. In that instance, a hurricane and a tropical storm were present concurrently.
While the two developing systems are currently separated by hundreds of miles, their projected paths are expected to converge in the Gulf, potentially even overlapping. Landfall for these storms is likely to be separated by hours rather than days. However, the exact paths and intensities remain uncertain, and it is not yet clear if both will make landfall as hurricanes or if their trajectories will diverge.
Tropical Storm Laura, which was upgraded from a tropical depression on Friday morning, is currently located in the Atlantic Ocean near the Lesser Antilles. Tropical Depression 14 is situated in the western Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Honduras.
Projected path of Tropical Depression 14, potentially becoming Hurricane Marcos, in the Gulf of Mexico
Tropical Depression 14, which is expected to be named Tropical Storm Marcos, is forecast to become a hurricane in the Gulf before potentially weakening slightly as it approaches the Texas coast near Houston, possibly by Tuesday morning. A hurricane watch has already been issued for Cancun and parts of Mexico’s southeastern coast due to this system.
Tropical Storm Laura is already causing concerns across Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Hispaniola, bringing heavy rainfall as it moves towards Cuba and the Gulf. The National Hurricane Center warns that this rainfall could lead to “flash and urban flooding” in these areas. Laura is also expected to be a hurricane when it approaches the U.S. coast, potentially near the Alabama-Florida border.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is already breaking records with the rapid formation of named storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has predicted a significantly more active hurricane season than normal for 2020, estimating nearly double the average number of named storms.
Scientists have linked climate change to the increasing frequency of major hurricanes worldwide and the rising number of hurricanes in the Atlantic. Beyond high winds, many recent dangerous storms have brought excessive rainfall, posing significant threats to communities and infrastructure far inland from coastal areas.
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