Tropical Storm Francine Set to Strengthen into Hurricane, Aiming for U.S. Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Francine is forecasted to strengthen into a hurricane as it heads towards the U.S. Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Francine Expected to Intensify into Hurricane as It Targets U.S. Gulf Coast

 

Monday, September 10, 2024 – Tropical Storm Francine is forecasted to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast, with the storm's projected path targeting the Louisiana coastline.

 

As of Monday evening, Francine was positioned in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 145 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande. The storm currently boasts maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and is moving north-northwest at 7 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Francine is anticipated to turn northeastward and approach the Texas and Louisiana coasts on Wednesday.

 

The latest NHC forecast predicts Francine will make landfall in Louisiana between the Texas border and New Orleans around 1 p.m. Wednesday. This impending impact has prompted Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry to declare a state of emergency to mobilize state resources for storm preparation. "This State of Emergency will allow parishes statewide to have the resources to help protect the life, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana," Landry announced via social media platform X.

 

In Lafayette, Louisiana, Mayor-President Monique B. Boulet has announced that local public schools will be closed on Wednesday and Thursday as a precaution.

 

The storm is expected to strengthen and accelerate overnight, with the NHC's advisory noting, "Francine expected to become a hurricane soon." In response to the storm's progression, new advisories have been issued for Texas and Mexico, including a tropical storm warning for the southernmost Texas coastline from Port Mansfield to the mouth of the Rio Grande, and a similar warning for the Mexican coastline from the mouth of the Rio Grande south to La Pesca.

 

A hurricane watch is in effect for nearly the entire Louisiana coast, stretching from Cameron to Grand Isle. The storm's impacts are forecasted to include 4 to 12 inches of rain and potential flash flooding across northeast Mexico, southern Texas, southern Louisiana, and southern Mississippi through Thursday morning.

 

The NHC warns of significant storm surge along the Louisiana coast, with expected surges of 5 to 10 feet from Cameron to Port Fourchon. The Texas coast from Cameron to High Island could see surges of 3 to 5 feet. Additionally, a storm surge watch is in effect from High Island, Texas, to the Mississippi and Alabama border, as well as Louisiana's Vermilion Bay, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Pontchartrain.

 

This season, which began in June and runs through November 30, has seen five named storms, with three of those strengthening into hurricanes. August's storm activity was slightly below normal, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had predicted an above-average hurricane season, citing factors such as near-record warm ocean temperatures and La Niña conditions in the Pacific.

 

The NOAA's forecast for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season includes 17 to 25 named storms, with 8 to 13 expected to become hurricanes.