Thanks to extremely warm Gulf waters, Hurricane Francine rapidly intensified into a Category 2 storm Wednesday before making landfall at about 5 p.m.
When the storm made landfall, the storm was moving NE at 17 mph with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph. The National Hurricane Center warned Francine might reach Category 2 strength Wednesday afternoon before crashing into Morgan City, Louisiana.
Still dangerous, the hurricane began to weaken as it made its way inland, dropping back to a Category 1 storm in less than two hours. As of this Thursday morning, Francine is moving through the Mississippi Valley as a tropical depression, with its outer bands bringing flash flood watches as far east as the panhandle of Florida.
Flash Flood Watches are still being issued and extended further inland throughout the Southeast. A life-threatening storm surge up to four feet is still possible today, even as the majority of Francine's circulation is far north of the Gulf Coast.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
The impacts will remain well away from North Texas, with some some drizzle and showers expected this morning and drier conditions by the afternoon.
Francine weakens to a tropical depression after making landfall as a Category 2 hurricane
THOUSANDS IN THE DARK AS HURRICANE FRANCINE STRIKES LOUISIANA, RAISING FLOOD FEARS
By: Jack Brook and Sara Cline | The Associated Press
Hurricane Francine slammed into the Louisiana coast Wednesday evening as a dangerous Category 2 storm that knocked out electricity to roughly 190,000 customers and threatened widespread flooding as it sent a potentially deadly storm surge rushing inland along the Gulf Coast.
Francine crashed ashore in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Morgan City, the National Hurricane Center announced at 4 p.m. CDT. Packing maximum sustained winds near 100 mph (155 kph), the hurricane then battered a fragile coastal region that hasn’t fully recovered from a series of devastating hurricanes in 2020 and 2021.
Morgan City Fire Chief Alvin Cockerham said the hurricane quickly flooded streets, snapped power lines and sent tree limbs crashing down.
“It’s a little bit worse than what I expected to be honest with you,” Cockerham said of the onslaught. “I pulled all my trucks back to the station. It’s too dangerous to be out there in this.”
There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.
TV news broadcasts from coastal communities showed waves from nearby lakes, rivers and Gulf waters thrashing sea walls. Water poured into city streets amid blinding downpours. Oak and cypress trees leaned in the high winds, and some utility poles swayed back and forth. As Francine continued its trek inland, it spread drenching rains over New Orleans and surrounding areas, raising flooding fears.
Power outages in Louisiana topped 190,000 hours after landfall, spread widely across southeast Louisiana. Blackouts affected the majority of homes and businesses in coastal parishes nearest where the storm came inland as well as their inland neighbors, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us.
Sheltering at her mother's home just outside Morgan City, Laura Leftwich said blasts of wind had swept away two large birdhouses outside. She had a generator powering an internet connection so she could video chat with friends, holding her computer to a window to show them water overflowing in the street.
If the storm had been any more intense, “I wouldn't have the guts to look outside,” said Leftwich, 40. “It’s a little scary.”
The National Hurricane Center urged residents to stay sheltered overnight as the hurricane churned inland. The storm's projected path included New Orleans, where forecasters said the storm's eye could pass through.
The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Francine drew fuel from exceedingly warm Gulf of Mexico waters, strengthening to a Category 2 storm with winds exceeding 96 mph (155 kph) hours before landfall.
Still dangerous, the hurricane began weakening as it rushed inland, dropping in less than two hours back to a Category 1 storm with top winds of 85 mph (140 kph). Francine continued moving northeast at a fast clip of 17 mph (28 kph) on a path toward New Orleans, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) away.
It was forecast to weaken further while pushing northward through Mississippi on Thursday, with widespread rains in the coming days bringing potential flash flooding to cities including Jackson, Mississippi; Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, Tennessee; and Atlanta. It also raised the threat of spin-off tornadoes.
Much of Louisiana and Mississippi could get 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain, with the possibility of 12 inches (30 centimeters) in some spots, said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the hurricane center.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the National Guard would fan out to parishes impacted by Francine. They have food, water, nearly 400 high-water vehicles, about 100 boats and 50 helicopters to respond to the storm, including for possible search-and-rescue operations.
Since the mid-19th century, some 57 hurricanes have tracked over or made landfall in Louisiana, according to The Weather Channel. Among them are some of the strongest, costliest and deadliest storms in U.S. history.
Morgan City, home to around 11,500 people, sits on the banks of the Atchafalaya River in south Louisiana and is surrounded by lakes and marsh. It’s described on the city’s website as a “gateway to the Gulf of Mexico for the shrimping and oilfield industries.”
Luis Morfin, 26, left his RV camper outside Morgan City's levee to hunker down at a friend's home Wednesday night. Winds lashed the windows as they watched a TV powered by a generator. The power was out, but they were prepared to cook with steaks and potatoes on a propane stove.
“We knew what we were expecting,” Morfin said. “I don’t know how good my camper is, but we’ll figure that out tomorrow.”
President Joe Biden granted an emergency declaration to help Louisiana secure expedited federal money and assistance. Landry and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves also declared states of emergency.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said it distributed more than 100,000 sandbags to the southern part of the state and the Department of Education reported a number of school district closures for Wednesday and Thursday amid expectations the storm would cross the state.
Francine had prompted storm surge warnings on the Louisiana coast of as much as 10 feet (3 meters) from Cameron to Port Fourchon and into Vermilion Bay.
