Gulf Coast Prepares for 'One-Two Punch' from Marco and Laura

Residents and visitors in New Orleans and several other parishes in Louisiana are either leaving town or hunkering down ahead of two storm systems barreling for the Gulf Coast.

"We don't know what to expect," said Ed Feys, who is visiting New Orleans from Detroit. "I mean, is it going to be a catastrophe or is it going to be just a lot of rain?"

Louisiana's governor warned residents to prepare for a one-two punch as the two storm systems are set to make rare back-to-back landfalls within 48 hours of one another.

"We're going to get basically a right hook from Marco and then a left hook from Laura," said Gov. John Bel Edwards (D).

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(Image credit: Accuweather)

Storm surge warnings have been issued for part of the coast of Louisiana and Mississippi due to the anticipated inundation as Marco arrives, according to Accuweather. 

On Saturday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency ahead of Marco's and Laura's unwelcome arrival.

"We are in unprecedented times," Reeves said. "We are dealing with not only two potential storms in the next few hours, we are also dealing with COVID-19."

The southern portions of Mississippi will be the part of the state that bears the brunt of Marco into Monday night. Especially cities on the immediate coast such as Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula.

Wind gusts of 40-60 mph are expected from along the Mississippi coast

Marcos is currently anticipated to make landfall somewhere along the southeastern coast of Louisiana, Accuweather reported.  

Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico are already feeling the effects of the weather systems.

And while folks along the Louisiana Gulf Coast prepare, residents in Northern California are bracing for more fire outbreaks.

The National Weather Service is warning dangerous lightning and thunderstorms are expected to hit the region this week.

"Each and every county is now on high alert due to the storm that's coming in," said a firefighter.

With hundreds of wildfires raging and more than a million acres already on fire, the California National Guard and the US military are deploying personnel to help exhausted firefighters contain the blazes. More than 14,000 firefighters are right now on the fire lines.

"It's a lot of adrenaline and a lot of passion, a lot of love for the job," said a firefighter on the fire line. "Knowing that if you sit down and you rest, someone might not have a house."

President Trump has declared the wildfires in California a major disaster.

He's also issued emergency declarations in Louisiana ahead of Tropical Storm Marco which forecasters say could make landfall this afternoon, and Laura, which is expected to be a hurricane when it strikes overnight early Thursday morning.