Hurricane Laura intensifies, expected to be Category 4 as it lands in Texas and Louisiana

Hurricane Laura is strengthening and is ready to strike the upper Texas coast and western Louisiana. The storm, which intensified from a Category 1 to Category 3 overnight, is forecast to make landfall as a “catastrophic” Category 4 between Houston and Lake Charles, La., on Wednesday or early Thursday morning. Hurricane and storm surge warnings are in effect. Beaumont and Port Arthur, Tex., severe…