Photo: Hearst Newspapers
Hurricane Francine, a strong Category 2 storm, is expected to make landfall along the Louisiana coastline Wednesday (September 11) evening, posing a significant threat to communities still recovering from a destructive hurricane season four years ago. The storm's intensification overnight in the Gulf of Mexico has triggered new hazardous weather alerts as far as the Florida border, although forecasters warn that the main impact will be in Louisiana, where "life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds" are expected to begin later Wednesday.
As of 5 p.m. ET, Francine's center was about 100 miles west southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was moving northeast over the western Gulf of Mexico at 17 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph and higher gusts.
Watches and warnings have been issued for much of coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as various parts of coastal Texas. A hurricane warning is in place for the Louisiana coast from Vermilion/Cameron Line eastward to Grand Isle, with a hurricane watch effective for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.
The hurricane center reported that "damaging and life-threatening hurricane-force winds" were forecast for portions of southern Louisiana Wednesday, and there was also the "danger of life-threatening storm surge for the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines."
Francine is also expected to bring heavy rainfall and possible flash flooding to parts of eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, southern Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle through Thursday.
While evacuation orders were issued for multiple communities along the Gulf Coast, officials are now warning residents the time has passed to leave the area.
"The time to evacuate has now passed," Jacques Thibodeaux, the director of the Louisiana governor's office of emergency preparedness, said at a news conference just before noon local time. "It is the time to go to ground and hunker down."