Francine tracker: Tropical system forecast to strengthen to hurricane ahead of Louisiana landfall
A tropical storm watch has been issued for parts of Texas.
A tropical system churning in the southern Gulf of Mexico is forecast on Monday to become Tropical Storm Francine as it moves toward a Wednesday landfall in Louisiana, the National Hurricane Center said.
A tropical storm watch has been issued for parts of Texas, with the expectation that hurricane watches could be issued later today for parts of the Gulf Coast.
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The storm is forecast Tuesday night into Wednesday morning to significantly strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane with winds near 80 mph.
The storm could then make landfall in western Louisiana late Wednesday afternoon or early evening, as a possible Category 1 hurricane, weather officials said.
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Storm surge, rainfall flooding and hurricane wind gusts are forecast from Port Arthur, Texas, to Lake Charles, Louisiana, officials said.
A foot of rain is forecast for parts of Louisiana, with up to a half a foot in eastern Texas.
Heavy rain with flood threats is expected to spread into New Orleans and north into the Mississippi River Valley and Mid-South, all the way to Jackson, Mississippi, and even into Memphis, Tennessee, by Thursday, officials said.