Here are the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center on Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura early Sunday night.

NHC UPDATE SUMMARY OF 7 PM INFORMATION

LOCATION…26.4N 87.6W
ABOUT 180 MI…290 KM SSE OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…75 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…NNW OR 340 DEGREES AT 13 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…991 MB…29.27 INCHES

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

At 7 p.m., the center of Hurricane Marco was located by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter Aircraft near latitude 26.4 North, longitude 87.6 West. Marco is moving toward the north-northwest near 13 mph. Marco is forecast to move generally north-northwestward to northwestward tonight and approach the Louisiana coast Monday afternoon. It is then forecast to turn westward and move near or over the coast through Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Small fluctuations in strength are possible tonight. Gradual weakening is expected to begin on Monday, and Marco could become a remnant low by Tuesday night.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 991 MB (29.27 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

Morgan City Louisiana to Mouth of the Mississippi River — 4-6 ft
Mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs Mississippi including Lake Borgn — 3-5 ft
Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepa — 2-4 ft
Intracoastal City, Louisiana to Morgan City, Louisiana — 2-4 ft
Sabine Pass to Intracoastal City — 1-3 ft
Ocean Springs Mississippi to the Alabama/Florida border including Mobile Bay — 1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office.

WIND: Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by midday Monday, with tropical storm conditions possible by early Monday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area on Monday, and hurricane conditions are possible within the hurricane watch areas late Monday.

RAINFALL: Marco is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 3 to 5 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 7 inches across the Central U.S. Gulf coast through Tuesday.

This rainfall may result in scattered areas of flash and urban flooding along the Central U.S. Gulf Coast.

SURF: Swells generated by Marco are likely to affect portions of the northern Gulf Coast for the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

TORNADOES: An isolated tornado is possible early Monday morning near the southeast Louisiana coast. Isolated tornadoes are possible across southeast Louisiana, southern Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle Monday and Monday night.

RELATED: Alabama Power urges customers to prepare for hurricanes

NHC UPDATE SUMMARY OF 7 PM INFORMATION

LOCATION…20.0N 75.6W
ABOUT 30 MI…55 KM W OF GUANTANAMO CUBA
ABOUT 175 MI…280 KM ESE OF CAMAGUEY CUBA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 21 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1000 MB…29.53 INCHES

DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK

At 7 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 20.0 North, longitude 75.6 West. Laura is moving toward the west-northwest near 21 mph, and this general motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. A turn toward the northwest is forecast by Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over the southern coast Cuba tonight and Monday, and move over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday. Laura is expected to move over the central and northwestern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night and Wednesday.

The maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast while Laura moves near the southern coast of Cuba tonight and Monday. However, strengthening is forecast after the storm moves over the Gulf of Mexico, and Laura is forecast to become a hurricane late Tuesday or Tuesday night.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles from the center. An observation in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, recently measured sustained winds of 35 mph (56 km/h) and a wind gust to 44 mph.

The minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1000 mb (29.53 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

RAINFALL: Laura is expected to produce the following storm total
rainfall accumulations through Tuesday:

Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba: 4 to 8 inches, with
maximum amounts of 12 inches.

Cayman Islands: 2 to 4 inches, maximum amounts of 6 inches.

Florida Keys, Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas: 1 to 2 inches.

Across the Greater Antilles this heavy rainfall could lead to
life-threatening flash and urban flooding, and the potential for
mudslides.

By later Wednesday into Friday Laura is expected to produce rainfall of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches across portions of the west-central U.S. Gulf Coast near the Texas and Louisiana border north into portions of the lower Mississippi Valley. This rainfall could lead to flash, urban, and small stream flooding.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of the warning area in Haiti through this evening. Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of the warning area in Cuba later tonight through Monday. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac on Monday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within portions of the watch area in the Florida Keys Monday.

SURF: Swells generated by Laura are affecting portions of Hispaniola, eastern Cuba, the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. These swells are expected to spread across central and western Cuba, the central and northwestern Bahamas, and the Florida Keys on Monday. Please consult products from your local weather office.

TORNADOES: An isolated tornado is possible across far southern Florida on Monday.

For more weather news and information from Scott Martin and the rest of the James Spann team, visit AlabamaWx.com.