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Nighttime satellite view of a large white cloudy whirl taking up about half of the Gulf of Mexico.
On Tuesday evening, September 10, 2024, Hurricane Francine was still in the Gulf of Mexico. It is headed toward the Louisiana shore and upper Texas. Image via NOAA.

Hurricane Francine to hit the Gulf Coast today

Tropical Storm Francine strengthened into a hurricane on Tuesday afternoon, as it moved northward toward Louisiana. Forecasters say Francine might even reach category 2 strength, with winds of 96 mph (154 kph) and above, before coming ashore near Vermilion Bay on Wednesday afternoon. The outer bands of the storm system have already brought flooding to areas of the Gulf Coast in Mexico and Texas.

The National Hurricane Center has issued hurricane and storm surge warnings for the affected areas and said:

Damaging and life-threatening hurricane-force winds are expected in portions of southern Louisiana on Wednesday … Francine is expected to bring heavy rainfall and the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding across eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, far southern Alabama and the western Florida panhandle through Thursday.

Predictions are for 5 to 10 feet (1.5 – 3 meters) of storm surge for most of coastal Louisiana. Many in this area will see 4 to 8 inches (1.2 – 2.4 meters) of rain, with some localized spots of 12 inches (30 cm) possible. And the flash flood threat extends all the way up to Tennessee, as Francine should reach the Memphis area – possibly still as a tropical storm – by Friday.

Check here for the latest forecasts and imagery for Francine from NOAA.

Francine flooding in Mexico and Texas

Francine has largely been off the coast, sparing inhabitants of Mexico and Texas from storm surge. But some regions have seen heavy rainfall, including SpaceX’s Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas.

Across the border in Matamoros, Mexico, flooding has caused the cancellation of school.

Bottom line: Hurricane Francine is churning in the Gulf of Mexico, headed for the Louisiana coast. It may strengthen to a category 2 hurricane before landfall today.

Read more: 2024 Atlantic hurricane outlook and list of names

Kelly Kizer Whitt

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About the Author:

Kelly Kizer Whitt has been a science writer specializing in astronomy for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky. When Kelly is not reading or writing about astronomy and staring up at the stars, she enjoys traveling to the national parks, creating crossword puzzles, running, tennis and paddleboarding. Kelly lives in Wisconsin.



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Author: Space and Astronomy News

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