Storm tracker: See latest details on Tropical Depression Francine, projected path of storm

Tropical Storm Francine made landfall along the Louisiana coast as a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday night, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people and inundating the region with rainfall before being downgraded to a tropical storm.

Francine was again downgraded, this time to a tropical depression, Thursday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Francine made landfall in the Parish of Terrebonne, about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, the National Hurricane Center announced at 5 p.m. CDT Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be near 100 mph.

Footage from television stations and social media showed water flooding streets amid heavy rainfall; high winds bringing down trees and utility poles; and damaged roofs. There are currently over 350,000 homes and businesses without power in Louisiana, according to USA TODAY's power outage tracker.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the National Guard had been mobilized and had almost 400 high-water vehicles, 87 boats, and 50 helicopters ready to aid rescue and recovery efforts. He urged residents to follow instructions of local officials, including evacuation if necessary.

According to the hurricane center, Francine is forecast to move further inland over southeastern Louisiana Thursday, with heavy rainfall expected across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. According to the 7 a.m. CDT advisory on Thursday, the storm was located about 30 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.

"A turn toward the north-northeast and north is expected during the next day or so, with some decrease in forward speed," the NHC said in the Thursday morning advisory. "On the forecast track, the center of Francine will move over central and northern portions of Mississippi through early Friday."

The NHC said continued weakening is forecast, as Francine is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone later Friday.

Francine live updates: Flash flood emergency for New Orleans as Francine pounds Louisiana

Tropical Depression Francine tracker

Tropical Depression Francine spaghetti models

Spaghetti model illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The Hurricane Center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.

NHC also tracking Tropical Depression Seven, 3 other disturbances in Atlantic

The hurricane center also said Thursday morning it is tracking Tropical Depression Seven, which could become a tropical storm at some point Thursday.

The depression is currently located about 600 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, according to the NHC. It is moving west-northwest at about 17 mph, and a west-northwest to west motion is anticipated over the next few days.

The storm currently presents no hazards affecting land, the NHC said.

Additionally, the hurricane center is also tracking a tropical disturbance in the central tropical Atlantic that is producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. The disturbance, currently labeled Invest 92L, is not likely to develop as it moves westward over the central tropical Atlantic. The NHC gives the system a 10 percent chance of formation through the next seven days.

The NHC is also tracking a disturbance currently located several hundred miles to the east of the Leeward Islands. The disturbance, currently labeled as Invest 94L, is also producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms, however the "proximity of dry air near the system is expected to limit additional development over the next couple of days," the NHC said, and environmental conditions become "even less conducive" for development this weekend as the system moves west-northwestward.

Finally, the NHC said a "non-tropical area of low pressure" could form along a residual frontal boundary a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline in a few days. Some subtropical or tropical development is possible during the early part of next week as the system moves to the north or northwest, the NHC said, giving it a 30 percent change of formation through the next seven days.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Storm tracker: See projected path of Tropical Depression Francine