Hurricane Laura is now a Category 2 storm, but NOAA says the surge along the Louisiana coastline is still “life threatening.”
It’s one of the most intense storms in history for the region. High winds and flash floods are big concerns.
Acres of cotton, rice, and sugarcane are under watchful eyes. DTN cotton market analyst Keith Brown says 40% of Louisiana’s bolls are open, and so are 23% of those in Arkansas. He says extensive damage of more than’ a 50% loss is likely.
Hurricane Hanna already took out some cotton near Corpus Christi, Texas earlier this season.
Laura slammed Cameron Parish around 1:00 this morning. Cameron is a major fish and game destination and contains an abundance of natural resources.
This is the region’s third major storm in 15 years, following Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Rita in 2005.