Mayor Sylvester Turner urged Houstonians to stay weather aware through next week with Tropical Storm Laura and Depression 14 heading toward the Gulf in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We've been through this before and we all know what to do," Turner said.
The Office of Emergency Management will send alerts to keep people informed if either storm threatens our area. You can also get round-the-clock updates on KHOU 11 News, khou.com, our mobile app and our Facebook and Twitter pages.
Turner said HFD and HPD will be ready to perform water rescues -- if necessary, -- but it's too soon to say whether there will be a flood threat in our area.
"Do not drive in flooded streets. It only takes 18 inches of water to carry a car away," Houston Fire Chief Sam Pena said.
What you need to do
He also reminded Houstonians to prepare for possible power outages, in case power lines are knocked down by winds.
A generator can be a godsend if you lose power, but they can also be dangerous. Here are some generator safety tips.
Here's a Disaster Supply List of items to have on hand, just in case. Don't wait until the last minute because some items will sell out quickly. You should also fill your car up with gas and get some cash.
In case evacuations are necessary, make a plan ahead of time and know when and where to go.
Latest on the tropics
What had been Tropical Depression 13 became Tropical Storm Laura Friday morning with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.
It is currently 230 miles east-southeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. The Hurricane Hunter found Laura's center is further south than previously expected.
It's far too soon to know where these will go, but we are watching Tropical Depression Fourteen especially closely. The storm will be named Marco and is expected to enter the Gulf early next week. Get the latest detailed tropics update here.
TD 14 is expected to be a named storm by Sunday when it reaches the Yucatan Peninsula. It’s forecast to get back into the Gulf of Mexico and intensify into a hurricane before making landfall along the Gulf Coast.
The current cone of uncertainty runs from the South Texas coastline all the way to eastern Louisiana. There is still considerable uncertainty with this storm.