Storm weakens to low pressure area in Mississippi

Francine has weakened to a tropical depression as it moved across south-central Mississippi. National Hurricane Center officials downgraded the storm at 7 a.m. Thursday as winds weakened to 35 mph. Still, the storm is bringing heavy rains to parts of Mississippi and poses the threat of flash flooding. The storm made landfall in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, around 5 p.m. Wednesday as a Category 2 hurricane with winds around 100 mph. As it moved inland and into Mississippi, it was downgraded to a tropical storm, and as it moved across central parts of the state, it became a low pressure area. View all power outages | Track Francine with our interactive radar | School closings. With strong winds and heavy rains, the system knocked out power to more than 300,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi, while storm surge poured into coastal communities. Meteorologists warned of the potential threat of isolated flash flooding in parts of Mississippi and neighboring states, saying between 4 and 6 inches (10 to 15 centimeters) of rain was possible. There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries. The worst of the rain and wind in central Mississippi will continue into the early hours of Thursday and move away around 10 a.m. Power outages will be most severe south of the metropolis and near the coast, but all of central Mississippi could be affected by outages of varying degrees. Between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) of rain could fall across much of Louisiana and Mississippi, with as much as 12 inches (30 centimeters) possible in some places, said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist with the hurricane center. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Tuesday. Reeves said the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency had distributed more than 100,000 sandbags in counties in preparation for the storm. VIDEO BELOW: Tropical Storm Francine moves across Mississippi. Download the free WAPT app to follow the tropics. Five WAPT app features you may have missed.

Francine has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves across south-central Mississippi.

Officials at the National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm's intensity at 7 a.m. Thursday as winds weakened to 35 mph.

Nevertheless, the storm is bringing heavy rainfall to much of Mississippi, raising the risk of flash flooding.

The storm made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, around 5 p.m. Wednesday with winds of about 100 mph (160 kph). As it moved inland and into Mississippi, it was downgraded to a tropical storm, and as it moved across the central parts of the state, it became a low-pressure system.

View all power outages | Track Francine with our interactive radar | School closings

With strong winds and torrential rains, the system caused power outages in more than 300,000 homes and businesses in Louisiana and Mississippi, while storm surge swept coastal communities.

Meteorologists said rainfall amounts of between 4 and 6 inches were possible in parts of Mississippi and neighboring states and warned of the possible danger of isolated flash flooding.

There were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

The worst of the rain and wind in central Mississippi will continue into the early hours of Thursday and clear around 10 a.m. Power outages will be most severe south of the metropolis and near the coast, but outages of varying degrees could occur across central Mississippi.

Much of Louisiana and Mississippi could see between 4 and 8 inches of rain, with as much as 12 inches possible in some places, said Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane specialist at the hurricane center.

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency on Tuesday. Reeves said the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has distributed more than 100,000 sandbags in counties in preparation for the storm.

VIDEO BELOW: Tropical Storm Francine moves across Mississippi

Download the free WAPT app to follow the tropics. Five WAPT app features you may have missed.