Louisiana residents braced for landfall Wednesday after Francine strengthened into a hurricane, a life-threatening storm roaring across the Gulf Coast that could drop up to a foot of rain while driving damaging winds and a 10-foot storm surge in some areas.
Francine's sustained winds reached 90 mph Wednesday, and the storm was expected to hit the central Louisiana coast on Wednesday afternoon or evening. The National Hurricane Center warned that "life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds" were expected.
"Conditions are beginning to deteriorate in southern Louisiana," the center warned Wednesday afternoon. "Tropical storm conditions (are) now reaching the Louisiana coast."
Louisana Gov. Jeff Landry said the National Guard had been mobilized and had almost 400 high water vehicles, 87 boats and 50 helicopters ready to aid rescue and recovery efforts. He urged residents to follow instructions of local officials, including evacuation if necessary.
There was some good news: The hurricane center said Francine was no longer expected to gain strength before landfall and was expected to rapidly weaken after. Francine was forecast to move into Mississippi and then northward into the Mississippi Valley as a tropical depression, reaching Memphis by Thursday night.
Developments:
∎ The center of Francine on Wednesday afternoon was located approximately 95 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, according to the hurricane center. The storm was rolling northeast at 16 mph. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles, tropical storm-force winds 115 miles.
∎ President Joe Biden late Tuesday approved the Louisiana's emergency declaration after state officials delivered a letter urging him to approve the request. The federal emergency declaration will help response and disaster relief efforts.
∎ In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott cited a "high probability "of life-threatening storm surge and urged residents along the Gulf Coast to follow the advice of local officials, including possible evacuations.
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Louisiana braces for landfall:Francine strengthens into a hurricane:
Police in the coastal community of Morgan City, in the projected landfall area of the storm, issued a curfew from 11 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Thursday. Residents were asked to shelter in place.
Trenton Ho, who lives and works in Morgan City, says he's not worried. Ho, a cashier at the Fifth Street Store, said business was brisk Wednesday morning because most stores in the city of 12,000 people were closed ahead of Francine. His own preparations included freezing a case of water so it stays cold if power goes out.
"I'm not the least bit concerned about this storm," Ho, 32, told USA TODAY on Wednesday. "I was born and raised here. When you have lived here your whole life, you are used to this stuff."
Francine may pose a similar threat as it moves across the southeastern United States. Tornadoes are likely on Wednesday in southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama. The tornado risk is expected to expand to a larger area on Thursday.
Tornadoes are likely on Wednesday in southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi and southern Alabama as Francine makes its way inland, AccuWeather warned. The tornado risk is expected to expand to a larger area Thursday and could linger into Friday.
“Because some dry air has become entrained into Francine’s circulation, itmay increase the number and intensity of severe thunderstorms, which could boost the number of tornadoes,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.
Mobile, Birmingham, Montgomery and Huntsville in Alabama; Tallahassee, Florida, and Tupelo, Mississippi, are some of the biggest population centers that face a tornado threat, AccuWeather said, adding that tropical downpours may make the tornadoes difficult to see, raising the danger to lives and property.
The hurricane center said significant strengthening was likely Wednesday, and AccuWeather computer models used to forecast potential increases in intensity showed Francine nearing or reaching Category 2 strength. An increase in wind shear and intrusions of dry air mean the hurricane is not expected to continue strengthening through landfall but will continue to pose a "significant risk" after reaching Louisiana's shores, the center said.
The National Weather Service office in New Orleans said the storm's impact could last through Thursday morning with coastal flooding, high winds, drenching rain and even tornadoes. The office warned that areas along and west of the Pearl River should prepare for damaging winds while some bayou and lower river parishes should prepare for hurricane-force winds. Other likely issues will include power outages and damage to trees, mobile homes and roofs.
"Conditions will be deteriorating throughout the day! Make sure you have all preparations rushed to completion ASAP!" the office tweeted. "Then, prepare to hunker down & shelter in place through the overnight hours!"
Storm tracker: See projected pathof Hurricane Francine toward Louisiana coast
A hurricane warning was in effect from the Texas-Louisiana state line to Grand Isle, Louisiana. A tropical storm warning reached across the Louisiana coast from Grand Isle through Lake Pontchartrain and for the southern Mississippi and Alabama coasts.
Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches. Local amounts up to 12 inches across southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, far southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle are possible through Thursday night, the hurricane center said. The rainfall could lead to "considerable" flash and urban flooding.
Mandatory and voluntary evacuations were in effect in many Louisiana parishes, including Terrebonne and Lafourche. Shelters opened in Terrebonne Parish. Mandatory evacuations in Lafourche Parish include residents in a FEMA-provided housing unit or a state-issued RV camper.
The storm prompted oil and gas companies in the Gulf of Mexico to stop production. Energy companies shut in 412,070 barrels per day of oil production − about 24% of production − and evacuated staff from 130 production platforms, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Tuesday.
About 26% of Gulf natural gas production was offline, according to reports submitted to the offshore regulator. The region is home to about 15% of U.S. oil production and 2% of natural gas output, Reuters reported.
Sources familiar with operations at Exxon Mobil Corp's Baton Rouge, Louisiana refinery also told Reuters that it was cutting back production as Francine was forecast to pass just east of its location. The company plans to cut production to as low as 20% of the refinery's 522,500 barrel-per-day capacity by Wednesday when Francine comes ashore.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, who previously declared a state of emergency, urged residents to "get a game plan, listen to local officials and follow your local news" to help minimize Francine's impact.
Parts of the state may face a storm surge anywhere from 5 to 10 feet, depending on the area, with widespread flooding and up to a foot of rain in isolated locations. Some schools were closed, and sandbags were being distributed.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered in some coastal communities in Texas and Louisiana. Blue Cross Blue Shield in Louisiana was allowing early prescription medicine refills to ensure members had enough medication if they need to evacuate or are unable to leave their homes for an extended time.
Francine could become the third hurricane this year to make landfall on the Gulf Coast −Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida; and Beryl made landfall near Matagorda Bay, Texas.
The most recent hurricane to hit Louisiana was Ida in 2021, according to AccuWeather. "Between 2019 and 2021, Louisiana had eight tropical storms or hurricane landfalls, including major hurricanes Laura and Ida," Alyssa Glenny, AccuWeather meteorologist, said in an online report.
Francine is also the fourth hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic season. On average, the fourth Atlantic hurricane forms on Sept. 16, according to Phil Klotzbach, senior hurricane scientist at Colorado State University.
Hurricane Francine isn't the only storm on the map: Forecasters are also tracking four other disturbances across the Atlantic, which now appears to have fully woken up from its recent slumber.
This isn't surprising, as this week is the typical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.
While none of the systems are an immediate threat to land, all bear watching for potential tropical development, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.
The four systems range in location from a system just off the U.S. coast to a tropical depression far out to sea near Africa. Read more.
Contributing: Doyle Rice, USA TODAY; Reuters
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