See photos and videos of the storm's impact

Francine hit the Louisiana coast with full force on Wednesday afternoon, bringing heavy rains to the region, flooding roads, downing trees and leaving hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power.

The now downgraded tropical depression made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, the National Hurricane Center said at 5 p.m., when it reached its maximum sustained wind speed of an estimated 100 mph.

According to the hurricane center's 1 a.m. CT weather forecast, the storm was moving with sustained winds of 50 mph. Rainfall of up to 12 inches was possible in parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle through Thursday night.