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Tropical storm Marco downgraded to tropical depression

The Atlantic hurricane season continued to remain active as Tropical Storm Marco swirled to life in the northwestern Caribbean Sea late Friday night.

Here are the latest updates:

Update 10:47 p.m. EDT Aug. 24: Tropical Storm Marco is meandering across the southeastern Louisiana coast with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and has been downgraded to a tropical depression.

Marco made landfall earlier in the evening around the mouth of the Mississippi River, and Air Force hurricane hunter aircraft data indicates the minimal tropical-storm-force winds are expected to subside as the storm continues to move along the Louisiana coast.

Heavy rains are forecast to continue overnight along portions of the north-central Gulf Coast.

Update 6:40 p.m. EDT Aug. 24: Tropical Storm Marco continued limping toward the Louisiana coast late Monday with maximum sustained winds holding steady at 40 mph.

At 4 p.m., Marco’s center was located about 15 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving toward the northwest at 7 mph.

A turn to the west-northwest and a slight increase in forward speed is forecast for Monday night, but the storm is expected to weaken quickly after moving inland over southeastern Louisiana tonight and across southern portions of the state Tuesday.

Gusty winds and heavy rainfall over portions of the northern Gulf Coast are expected to linger through this evening, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from Marco’s center.

Marco is forecast to be downgraded to a tropical depression tonight and degenerate to a remnant low on Tuesday.

Update 2:15 p.m. EDT Aug. 24: Tropical Storm Marco weakened Monday as it continued to spin near the mouth of the Mississippi River, although officials warned it could still bring heavy rainfall to the northern Gulf Coast through Monday night.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, Marco was about 40 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi with maximum sustained winds around 40 mph. The storm was moving to the northwest at 6 mph, according to the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center.

Tropical storm warnings and storm surge warnings issued for the Gulf Coast have been canceled, although officials noted that Marco could produce as much as 7 inches of rain across parts of the northeast and north-central Gulf Coast.

Update 11 a.m. EDT Aug. 24: Tropical Storm Marco continued to spin toward land on Monday morning with maximum sustained winds around 50 mph, according to the National Weather Service’s National Hurricane Center.

Marco is expected to drop as much as 10 inches of rain across parts of the northeast and north-central Gulf Coast through Tuesday, according to the NHC. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from Morgan City, Louisiana, to the Mississippi/Alabama border and for Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and the metropolitan New Orleans area.

Update 8:05 a.m. EDT Aug. 24: Tropical Storm Marco is producing heavy rainfall and gusty winds along portions of the northern Gulf Coast, the National Hurricane Center reported Monday morning.

In its 8 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, was about 85 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It was moving northwest at 10 mph.

Storm surge warnings were in effect for Morgan City, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and Lake Borgne. Tropical storm warnings were in effect for Intracoastal City to the Mississippi-Alabama border, as well as Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and metropolitan New Orleans.

Read more here.

Update 5:12 a.m. EDT Aug. 24: Forecasters discontinued hurricane warnings for Tropical Storm Marco but still expected it to bring dangerous storm surge, the National Hurricane Center reported early Monday.

In its 5 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph, was about 115 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It was moving northwest at 10 mph.

A hurricane warning was downgraded to a tropical storm warning for Morgan City, Louisiana, to the mouth of the Pearl River.

Read the full advisory here.

Update 2 a.m. EDT Aug. 24: A weaker Tropical Storm Marco continued to move to the north-northwest early Monday, the National Hurricane Center reported.

In its 2 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, was about 150 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. It was moving north-northwest at 12 mph.

Storm surge warnings remained in effect for Lake Borgne and Morgan City, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Meanwhile, a hurricane warning remained in effect for Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River.

Read the full advisory here.

Update 11:25 p.m. EDT Aug. 23: Hurricane Marco has been downgraded to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, weather experts said late Sunday.

The National Weather Service has canceled the hurricane watch from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to west of Morgan City, Louisiana.

The storm continues to move north-northwest at 12 mph, which is expected to continue tonight, but Marco will most likely take a northwestern turn by Monday morning.

Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend outward up to 70 miles from the storm’s center.

Update 6:46 p.m. EDT Aug. 23: Hurricane Marco remains a Category 1 storm with 75 mph winds and was located south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River at 5 p.m. EDT Sunday, weather officials said.

The storm is moving north-northwest at 13 mph and remains on track to be near the Louisiana coast Monday afternoon. Although little change in the strength of the storm is forecast, meteorologists see potential for the storm to stall as it approaches the Louisiana coast and potentially remain offshore through Tuesday.

A new tropical storm warning has also been issued from Cameron, Louisiana, to west of Morgan City, Louisiana.

Marco is expected to turn to the northwest later tonight, followed by a turn to the west-northwest by Monday night. Per this forecast track, the storm will be near the Louisiana coast Monday afternoon, move near or over Louisiana’s coast through Tuesday and possibly be downgraded to a remnant low by Tuesday night.

In Sunday remarks from the White House briefing room, U.S. President Donald Trump called the “scope” of Hurricane Marco potentially striking the Louisiana coast less than 24 hours of the expected Hurricane Laura “somewhat unprecedented.”

He asked all residents in affected areas to heed the advice of state and local leaders as the meteorological oddity approaches.

“FEMA is mobilized and on the ground. They will be in there very quickly,” Trump said.

Update 2:52 p.m. EDT Aug. 23: Hurricane Marco is crossing the central Gulf of Mexico and will bring life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds to portions of the gulf coast Monday, weather officials said.

The storm is moving north northwest at about 14 mph and is expected to turn toward Louisiana Monday.

Watches and warnings remain in effect for portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Update 12:38 p.m. EDT Aug. 23: With 75 mph maximum sustained winds, Marco is now at hurricane strength, becoming the third hurricane in an already active storm season, weather officials said.

Life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds are expected along the gulf coast.

The storm system is about 300 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River and is moving north northwest at 14 mph.

Update 11:48 a.m. EDT Aug. 22: Tropical Storm Marco is expected to reach hurricane strength later today, weather officials said.

The storm system is bringing life-threatening storm surge and hurricane force winds to portions of the gulf coast.

The storm system has 70 mph maximum sustained winds and is moving north northwest at 14 mph.

A storm surge watch has ended for the Mississippi/Alabama border to the Alabama/Florida border.

Other watches and warnings remain in effect.


Update 8:04 a.m. EDT Aug. 22: Tropical Storm Marco is nearing hurricane strength as it crosses the southeastern Gulf of Mexico, weather officials said.

The storm system has 70 mph maximum sustained winds and is moving north northwest at 13 mph.

A hurricane watch remains in effect for Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to Morgan City, Lake Pontrchatrain, Lake Maurepas and New Orleans.

A storm surge warning is in effect for Morgan City to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and Lake Borgne.

Update 10:49 p.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco continued to move closer to the northern Gulf coast as it entered the southern Gulf of Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center, in its 11 a.m. EDT advisory, said the center of Marco was located 470 miles south-southeast of the Mississippi River. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph as it moves north-northwest at 13 mph.

A hurricane watch remains in effect from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and metropolitan New Orleans. A tropical storm watch remains in effect from the Mississippi-Alabama border eastward to the Alabama-Florida border.

The National Hurricane Center will issue intermediate advisories at 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday, with a full advisory at 5 a.m.

Update 7:58 p.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco has entered the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and interests along the northern Gulf began preparing for an impact that could be felt as early as Sunday evening.

In its 8 p.m. EDT intermediate advisory, the National Hurricane Center said Marco was maintaining maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving north-northwest at 13 mph. The center of the storm was located about 75 miles north-northwest of the western tip of Cuba and about 510 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The storm could become a hurricane later Saturday or early Sunday, the hurricane center said.

A hurricane watch remains in effect from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and metropolitan New Orleans. A tropical storm watch remains in effect from the Mississippi-Alabama border eastward to the Alabama-Florida border.

The National Hurricane Center will issue its next full advisory at 11 p.m. EDT.

Update 5:08 p.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco continued to churn and gain strength as it approached the Gulf of Mexico, and storm surge and hurricane watches have been issued in the northern Gulf coast.

In its 5 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane said the center of Marco was located about 50 miles west of the western tip of Cuba and 540 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm is now packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving north-northwest at 13 mph.

A hurricane watch was issued from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, eastward to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and metropolitan New Orleans. A tropical storm watch was issued from the Mississippi-Alabama border eastward to the Alabama-Florida border.

The National Hurricane Center will issue an intermediate advisory at 8 p.m. EDT.

Update 1:53 p.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco is moving north-northwest through the Yucatan Channel, weather officials said.

The system has 65 mph maximum sustained winds. It is moving at 12 mph and is about 50 miles from the western tip of Cuba.

There were no changes to the watches or warnings effecting Cuba and Mexico.

Update 11:13 a.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco is strengthening quickly and is likely to become a hurricane later Saturday, weather officials said.

The storm system has 65 mph maximum sustained winds and is about 105 miles from Cozumel, Mexico. It is moving north-northwest at 12 mph.

Cuba has issued a tropical storm warning for the province of Pinar del Rio. Mexico has ended the hurricane watch and tropical storm warning for the eastern Yucatan coast.

Update 8:03 a.m. EDT Aug. 21: Tropical Storm Marco continues to gain strength in the Caribbean Sea, weather officials said.

The storm has 50 mph maximum sustained winds and is moving north-northwest at around 12 mph. The storm system is expected to approach the northeastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula later Saturday.

In Mexico, a hurricane watch is in effect for Punta Herrero to Cancun. A tropical storm warning is in effect from Punta Herrero to Dzilam.

Original report: The 13th-named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is a minimal tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. Marco is located about 180 miles southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and is moving north-northwest at 13 mph.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Marco is the earliest named “M” storm since tropical systems were given names during the 1950s. The previous record was held by Hurricane Maria, which formed as a tropical storm on Sept. 1, 2005.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for Punta Herrero to Dzilam, Mexico.

The storm is expected to skirt the eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula and emerge in the central Gulf of Mexico during the weekend.

The National Hurricane center will issue intermediate advisories at 2 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday, with a full advisory expected at 8 a.m. EDT.