Tropical cyclone Francine expected to strengthen into hurricane

Tropical Storm Francine continues to churn in the western Gulf of Mexico with it expecting to increase in strength reaching hurricane status on Tuesday before making landfall in Louisiana sometime on Wednesday.

The storm is expected to accelerate to the northeast beginning Tuesday before nearing the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines Wednesday.

Francine’s landfall in south Louisiana is expected Wednesday afternoon as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 90 MPH.

Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches across much of Louisiana and Mississippi through Friday morning. This rainfall could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding.

There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge for portions of the Upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines where a Storm Surge Warning is in effect. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.

Damaging and life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected in portions of southern Louisiana Wednesday, where a Hurricane Warning is in effect.

Francine will move northward and weaken into a Tropical Depression as it pushes into the south-central U.S. by Thursday afternoon.

The remnants of Francine may try and sneak some tropical moisture into the Weather First area this weekend, but uncertainties remain on how that’ll play out.