News Hurricane Laura forecast to ‘rapidly strengthen’ to Category 4 storm as hundreds of thousands evacuate August 26, 2020 Ryan W. Miller, Rick Jervis and Doyle Rice, USA TODAY Comments Off on Hurricane Laura forecast to ‘rapidly strengthen’ to Category 4 storm as hundreds of thousands evacuate Laura, now a Category 3 hurricane, is expected to strengthen to a Category 4 hurricane, then "weaken" as it hits land.