Tropical storm watch cancelled for Marco; forecasters still eyeing Laura

The tropical storm watch for Walthall and surrounding counties and parishes was cancelled early Monday morning as Marco’s forecast track changed somewhat.
At press time Tropical Storm Marco was expected to make landfall Monday afternoon along Louisiana’s eastern coastline, according to the National Hurricane Center forecasts.
Tropical Storm Laura is expected to make landfall as a hurricane Wednesday or Thursday in Louisiana. The National Weather Service forecasts Laura’s impact further west than Marco’s expected path.
As of 7 a.m. Monday, Marco was moving 10 mph northwest, about 85 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and Laura, moving 21 mph in a west-northwest direction, was east-southeast of Cayo Largo, according to the National Weather Service.
Marco was recorded as having maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Marco is forecast to approach the coast of Louisiana this afternoon, and then turn westward and move very close to the coast of Louisiana through Tuesday night.
Laura was recorded as having maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Laura is then forecast to move over the central and northwestern Gulf of Mexico Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Walthall Emergency Management had made sand and bags available at the emergency operations center, the old armory, just off Hwy. 27 South, for residents to fill 20 bags if they were concerned about flooding. Residents taking advantage of the offer were to bring their own shovel.