Hurricane Laura continues to gain strength in the Gulf of Mexico and is now expected to lash the Gulf Coast as a Category 3 or Cat. 4 storm.

The 5 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center shows Laura, currently a Category 2, will strengthen into the season’s first major hurricane. The storm is expected to make landfall along the Louisiana or Texas coast by Thursday morning with 120 mph winds.

Laura will bring life-threatening storm surge, high winds and flooding to the Gulf Coast.

The National Hurricane Center is projecting that Laura will make landfall halfway between New Orleans and Houston somewhere along the Texas-Louisiana line.

4-to-8 inches of rain are likely, with 12 inches possible. The main danger, though, will be an estimated storm surge of 9 to 13 feet.

Danville and Southside Virginia could see heavy rains and high winds from the storm on Saturday.