Hurricane Francine tracker: Live updates as storm approaches Louisiana, landfall expected near New Orleans region

Ahead of Hurricane Francine's expected landfall, the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center has issued a tornado watch for a 70 mile stretch of southern Louisiana, far southern Mississippi and coastal waters until 11 p.m. CDT.

According to the NWS, a tornado watch means "conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area."

Tuesday, Sept. 10, was the peak of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center — and Francine is the sixth named storm of the year.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 until Nov. 30, but most hurricanes happen in September and October.

Jaime Hernandez, the emergency management director in Hollywood, Fla., previously told the Associated Press: “That’s a little bit different this year because of the reality we’re dealing with with global warming, warmer sea surface temperatures, atmosphere conditions that are more favorable to tropical cyclone development."

According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Francine remains a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. It is located about 95 miles southwest of Morgan City, La., and is moving northeast at 16 mph.

"Little change in strength is expected before landfall," the hurricane center said. "Francine is expected to rapidly weaken after landfall, and the system is forecast to become post-tropical on Thursday."

Officials in several cities and parishes in Louisiana have issued curfews and shelter-in-place orders as Hurricane Francine approaches. In Terrebonne Parish, officials implemented a curfew beginning at 8 a.m. CT on Wednesday. In Morgan City, a curfew was set for 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday until 6 a.m. CT on Thursday for the city's 11,000 residents.

"We want everybody to just kind of shelter in place," Morgan City Police Chief Chad Adams told reporters.

In New Orleans, residents were told to stay off roads and shelter in place by 11 a.m. local time.

At a press conference earlier Wednesday, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry told all of the state's residents to "stay home and stay put."

At Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry's briefing, Jay Grymes, Louisiana's state climatologist, relayed "a little bit of good news" about Hurricane Francine.

"The storm should move through relatively quickly," said Grymes, the former chief meteorologist for WAFB-TV. "Most of the impacts should be out of the state by or soon after midnight and ... we are already looking at a little bit of a reduction in the rainfall totals.

"All that said," he added, "this is still going to be a serious weather event between now and midnight tonight."

In addition to hurricane force winds, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are warning that Francine could bring a life-threatening storm surge to the Louisiana coast, with up to 10 feet expected in some areas.

Here's a map showing the peak storm surge forecast.

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and state officials said all of the state's residents should shelter in place until the storm passes.

"Stay home and stay put," Landry said.

"The time to evacuate has now passed," said Jacques Thibodeaux, director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, or GOHSEP. "It is the time to go to ground and hunker down. We are now no longer in the 'prepare for a hurricane,' we are in the 'respond to a hurricane.'"

Landry posted a similar plea to X earlier Wednesday.

As of 12 p.m. ET, the National Hurricane Center said Hurricane Francine was located around 140 miles southwest of Morgan City, La.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and was moving northeast at 13 mph.

The hurricane center said it would release hourly updates on the storm.

The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi have declared states of emergency ahead of Hurricane Francine's arrival.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency on Monday. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves did so on Tuesday.

Landry also deployed the Louisiana National Guard to parishes that could be affected by Francine.

President Biden on Tuesday approved an emergency declaration for the state of Louisiana ahead of Hurricane Francine making landfall.

Biden's declaration authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to "coordinate all disaster relief efforts." FEMA can help provide shelter support, evacuation assistance and funding to the parishes of Louisiana and other areas in an emergency.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center warned that "the risk for occasional tornadoes" may begin to increase as Francine moves north.

Hurricanes can often spawn tornadoes, as was the case with Hurricane Debby last month.

In Morgan City, La., gas stations “have already put plywood on the windows and moved trash cans inside, but a few pumps were still serving the trickle of cars passing through shortly after dawn Wednesday,” the Associated Press reports:

Hurricane Francine, which officially became a Category 1 storm on Tuesday night, is forecast to become a Category 2 storm before it makes landfall in Louisiana later today, according to the National Weather Service.

"The storm will bring the danger of life-threatening storm surge (up to 10 feet), damaging and life-threatening winds, very heavy rainfall/flash flooding, the potential for tornadoes, and more," the NWS said.

In its latest update, the National Hurricane Center issued the following watches and warnings:

• A storm surge warning is in effect for Cameron, La., to the Mississippi-Alabama border, Vermilion Bay, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. A storm surge warning means there is a danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, beginning this afternoon for the indicated locations.
  

• A hurricane warning is in effect for the Louisiana coast from Vermilion-Cameron Line eastward to Grand Isle. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
  

• A hurricane watch is in effect for Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including metropolitan New Orleans. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case within 24 hours.
  

• A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Louisiana coast east of Sabine Pass to Vermilion-Cameron Line; east of Grand Isle, La., to the Alabama-Florida border; and Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including metropolitan New Orleans. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within 24 hours.

According to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Francine is a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, is located about 150 miles southwest of Morgan City, La., and is moving northeast at 13 mph.

While landfall isn’t expected for several hours, NHC forecasters warned that “life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds” are expected to begin in Louisiana this afternoon.