Hurricane Laura, 19th Amendment anniversary, Republican National Convention: 5 things to know Wednesday

Hurricane Laura bears down on Texas, Louisiana

Hurricane Laura is forecast to rapidly power up into a “catastrophic” Category 4 hurricane, even stronger than previously expected. The storm was "rapidly intensifying" early Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center warned, threatening to bring a life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds and flash flooding to Texas and Louisiana. Satellite images show that Laura has become “a formidable hurricane” in recent hours, threatening to smash homes and sink entire communities. It has undergone a remarkable intensification, “and there are no signs it will stop soon,” the National Hurricane Center said in a briefing early Wednesday. After Tropical Storm Marco fizzled in the Gulf Coast on Monday night, Laura is poised to deliver a devastating blow late Wednesday and early Thursday. "Residents along the Texas and Louisiana coasts should anticipate the possibility that Laura will rapidly intensify right up until landfall," said meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections.

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Women gained the right to vote 100 years ago

One hundred years ago, the women's suffrage movement achieved victory as the 19th Amendment officially became part of the Constitution. (It had become a done deal on Aug. 18 when Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, securing a two-thirds majority of the states.) The dominant narrative about the women’s suffrage movement is framed through the experiences of white women. African American women played a major role in obtaining the right to vote even though many of them would not truly enjoy the right themselves to the same extent until decades later. In 1971, the U.S. Congress designated Aug. 26 as Women’s Equality Day. To commemorate the amendment's 100th anniversary, USA TODAY put together a list of 100 Women of the Century, recognizing powerhouse women who have shaped our nation and paved the way for future leaders.

Pence headlines Day 3 of the Republican National Convention

Mike Pence is expected to formally accept his nomination for vice president on the third night of the Republican National Convention, though he may spend much of his speech praising the star of show: President Donald Trump. His remarks are likely to underscore the main themes of the week-long confab: Lavish praise for Trump combined with harsh denunciations of challenger Joe Biden. Trump himself is also expected to make an appearance, just as he has done every night of the convention. Second lady Karen Pence, senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump are also scheduled to address the convention.

Weather conditions could change California firefighters' tactics

Firefighters battling the historic blazes in Northern California have made progress in getting the massive fires under control after weather conditions helped them out on Monday. But that good weather may not be here to stay: Temperatures are forecast to rise in the coming days into the weekend. Temperatures cooled in the region, lightning strikes, many of which sparked the fires, decreased, and fire officials said they've had successes battling three blazes burning around the San Francisco Bay Area. At least seven people have died in the fires, and 1,400 structures were destroyed, Cal Fire Assistant Deputy Director Daniel Berlant said. About 170,000 people were evacuated, and although about 50,000 were allowed back into their homes starting Sunday, about 75,000 structures remain threatened by the fires.

Join our live chat with Erin Brockovich

Erin Brockovich's new book, "Superman's Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It," explores problems from contaminated drinking water to water shortages due to climate change. Releasing the book in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and nationwide calls for racial equality and justice was not what Brockovich intended, but she thinks it's a good time for a reset when it comes to environmental issues. "COVID may have given us that pause to take a look behind the curtain," Brockovich says. The environmental activist, known for speaking up as dramatized in the eponymous Oscar-winning Julia Roberts film (2000), will join USA TODAY for a live Instagram chat Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET to discuss her book and other pressing topics.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane Laura, 19th Amendment, RNC: 5 things to know Wednesday