Hurricane Laura expected to reach Category 4 strength

Hurricane Laura, which is forming in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to reach Category 4 strength before making landfall the night of Aug. 26, according to the latest report from the National Weather Service Houston-Galveston.

Weather conditions are ideal for the hurricane to continue to strengthen to a Category 4 storm, which has winds of 145 to 175 mph. It will hit the Gulf Coast near Sabine Pass or the far southwest part of the Louisiana coast, according to the service.

"Laura is now a large hurricane, and wind, storm surge and rainfall hazards will extend far from the center. The Upper Texas Coast will see some impacts even if Laura makes landfall to our east," the service's report from 5 a.m. Aug. 26 reads.

Areas along and east of the I-45 corridor and the Gulf of Mexico southeast of Galveston Island have a 40%-80% chance of experiencing tropical storm-force winds and a 10%-30% chance of experiencing hurricane-force winds. Chances increase farther east toward the Sabine River, the report reads.

"Very dangerous, damaging winds [are] also expected near the center path and extending well inland," the report reads. "[Southeast] Texas will be on the western fringe of the storm. [The] main impacts will be tropical storm force winds, possibly gusts to hurricane force [in] eastern zones."

The strong winds will likely arrive during the day over the coastal waters and this evening and overnight farther inland. Certain rain bands will be capable of producing gusts above tropical storm force, according to the service.

Areas east of I-45 will experience 2-6 inches of rainfall. It is possible some areas of Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula will experience over 1 foot of storm surge, according to the report.

Most of Houston is under a tropical storm warning, but eastern parts of Harris County and Galveston County are under a hurricane warning.