Marco fizzles in Gulf, Laura gains strength

Tropical Storm Marco started to fall apart southeast of the Mississippi River as it headed for a likely downgrade late Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. But forecasters warn that Tropical Storm Laura could strengthen as it moves into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, potentially making landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday.

What does that mean for the coast? The combination of the two storms could bring record-breaking wind and flooding from Alabama to Texas. Tropical Storm Laura caused power outages and floods and left at least 11 people dead in the Dominican Republic and Haiti before dumping rain on Cuba on its way toward the Gulf. Government officials have declared states of emergency in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Dig deeper: Track Laura’s progress at the National Hurricane Center.