Marco downgraded, not forecast to regain hurricane strength

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The National Hurricane Center has downgraded Marco to tropical storm status, and now does not expect it to become a hurricane again before it eventually makes landfall later in the week.

The storm is still forecast to hug the Louisiana coast as it travels west, bringing rain, wind, and storm surge to coastal Louisiana.

"Impacts that we have been talking about with Marco really have not changed, even though the storm is a bit weaker," said WWL-TV Chief Meteorologist Chris Franklin. "It still does put us on the wet side."

Marco

Laura has got a little stronger as it hugs the coast of Cuba, but is still not expected to become a hurricane until it pulls away from the island around Tuesday.

"The forecast did change slightly," said Franklin. "The hurricane center decided to bring it back a little more east and a little closer to southeast Louisiana."

Laura

Franklin said the long term forecast, though, is still very much uncertain.