Hurricane Francine becomes dangerous Category 2 storm just ahead of Louisiana landfall
Rainbands of Francine continue to move onshore and spread inland into the southern region of the state. The National Hurricane Center said tropical-storm-force winds are spreading across Louisiana, and conditions will continue to worsen throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
As of 5:00 P.M. CT, Hurricane Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana as a dangerous Category 2 hurricane, lashing the state with life-threatening impacts. Live updates on Hurricane Francine have moved here.
BATON ROUGE, La. – Hurricane Francine is now a dangerous Category 2 storm with peak winds estimated at 100 mph as it moves onshore in Louisiana on Wednesday evening with an expected landfall within hours.
Dangerous conditions continue to worsen throughout the day as the storm brings life-threatening storm surge and destructive winds to the state's coastline.
Hurricane-force winds from Francine’s northern eyewall are moving onshore and spreading inland into the southern region of Louisiana. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said life-threatening storm surge is spreading across coastal Louisiana, and conditions will continue to worsen throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
Multiple parishes in Louisiana have issued mandatory evacuation orders as the Category 2 hurricane is set to make landfall with widespread power outages, significant flooding and some property damage.
LOUISIANA RESIDENTS SCRAMBLE FOR SUPPLIES AHEAD OF HURRICANE FRANCINE
As of the latest advisory from the NHC, Francine is located about 40 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, or about 100 miles southwest of New Orleans, and moving northeast at about 17 mph. Maximum sustained winds are near 100 mph with higher gusts.
An oil platform southeast of the storm's center reported sustained winds of 92 mph around 2 p.m. CT and a peak gust of 112 mph at an elevation of 102 feet, according to the NHC.
Conditions are currently deteriorating across Louisiana as Francine nears the coast. The FOX Forecast Center said the state could see as much as 12 inches of rain, damaging hurricane-force winds and a life-threatening storm surge up to 10 feet at the coast. On the east side of the storm, tornadoes may spin up across southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. Once the storm makes landfall, it will move north, spreading flooding rains as far north as Memphis by week's end.
(FOX Weather)
Residents brace for Hurricane Francine's wrath
President Joe Biden has already approved an emergency declaration for the Bayou State as Francine sets to move onshore Wednesday.
"After declaring a state of emergency, we have now determined that this storm is of such severity that an effective response is beyond the capabilities of the state and local governments," Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said. "This federal assistance is needed to save lives and property."
From evacuations to proactively clearing storm drains, many places have already taken precautions to safeguard life and property.
The U.S. Coast Guard closed Port Fourchon, Louisiana, on Wednesday, a major hub for offshore energy services. Other nearby ports, including the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port and commercial ports in New Orleans, Cameron and Lake Charles, were also closed. At least two offshore oil platforms have paused operations because of the storm.
Louisiana will bear the brunt of this storm with as much as 10 inches of rain, damaging hurricane-force winds and life-threatening storm surge of up to 10 feet at the coast.
HOW FRANCINE MOVING THROUGH OIL-RICH GULF OF MEXICO COULD AFFECT GAS PRICES
The last two days in Lafayette, Louisiana, have been marked by intense preparations. Sandbag stations have sprung up across the city, schools have been closed and shelters have opened. A state of emergency has been declared to mobilize resources ahead of the storm's landfall. Lafayette's mayor has also urged specific residents to evacuate if necessary.
Precious Jones captured video of a Walmart in Lafayette on Monday, where bottled water was nearly sold out as residents stocked up ahead of the storm.
"There were barely any (bottles) there, and what was there, people were rushing to grab before anyone else," Jones said.
Just south of Lake Charles, Cameron Parish issued mandatory evacuations Tuesday, leaving the area eerily quiet.
In Morgan City, located closer to the coast, voluntary evacuations have been put in place. Businesses are boarding up, and residents are scrambling to stock up on gas and food before the storm hits. The towns of Morgan City and Berwick will be under a curfew from 11 a.m. Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday as Francine approaches.
With landfall expected between Franklin and Morgan City, these areas are bracing for wind gusts of up to 90 mph.
FRANCINE TRACKER: FORECAST CONE, SPAGHETTI MODELS, LIVE CONDITIONS AND MORE
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is closely monitoring weather conditions and preparing for potential impacts. The airport will remain open unless conditions deteriorate to a point where it becomes unsafe to operate. As of Wednesday afternoon, airlines at MSY have canceled all flights.
HURRICANE FRANCINE CAUSING CANCELLATIONS ACROSS GULF COAST AIRLINE, CRUISE TRAVEL
All New Orleans Public Schools dismissed students early on Tuesday and will remain closed Wednesday and Thursday.
In Baton Rouge, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said she has been in constant contact with the National Weather Service, along with local and state officials, as preparations are made for Francine's landfall.
"This storm is expected to bring threats of heavy rain, gusty to damaging winds and possibly a few tornadoes," she said. "I want to encourage everyone to make preparations now."
Hurricane Francine comes at the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters are also tracking several other areas for potential development this week.
Entergy mobilizes thousands for Francine response
Entergy, an energy company that provides electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas has warned customers to be ready for potential power outages, particularly in southern and southeastern Louisiana, where the greatest impacts from the storm are expected.
The utility provider has staged equipment and assembled a massive storm team to respond to Francine following landfall. More than 5,000 personnel, including lineworkers, tree trimmers, and support staff, are on the ground or en route. Additional resources are expected to arrive soon.
"As we do with any storm that threatens our service territory, we’re taking (Hurricane) Francine very seriously and have activated our methodical storm response process," said Steven Benyard, vice president of reliability for Entergy in Louisiana. "Our goal is to ensure we have the right resources in place to restore power efficiently and, above all, safely.
Where are watches and warnings in effect because of Hurricane Francine?
(FOX Weather)
The NHC has issued a Hurricane Warning for the Louisiana coast from Cameron to Grand Isle, which includes Baton Rouge. Tropical Storm and Storm Surge Warnings now extend from Louisiana to Alabama.
Hurricane conditions are expected within the Hurricane Warning area on Wednesday afternoon. Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Wednesday night.
After making landfall, the storm's center is expected to track north across Mississippi on Thursday.