Live Updates: Hurricane Francine Forecast for Louisiana | Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Francine is strengthening in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane before making landfall in central-southern Louisiana.

According to forecasts by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, the storm will strengthen into a Category 2 hurricane and reach wind speeds of 160 km/h before making landfall.

Francine is expected to bring a storm surge of 5 to 10 feet (1.5 to 3 meters) along the coast, damaging winds and possible flooding in southern Louisiana. Several schools in the region have announced they will close ahead of the storm.

It is expected to be the first named storm to make landfall in Louisiana this hurricane season, and Governor Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency for the entire state.

Follow live updates on Francine's development on Tuesday.

7 a.m.: Hurricane warning extended eastward

The National Hurricane Center has extended its hurricane warning east along the Louisiana coast to include Grand Isle.

The current warning, issued by the NHC at 7 a.m., extends from Sabine Pass to Grand Isle, meaning those areas could experience hurricane strength within the next 36 hours. Preparations to protect lives and property should be “completed quickly,” the NHC said.

A tropical storm warning is currently in effect for the rest of the Louisiana coast, from the east coast of Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River, including the New Orleans metropolitan area, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

05:30 am: Parish president of Iberia calls for voluntary evacuation

Iberia Parish President M. Larry Richard urged residents south of U.S. Highway 90 and other vulnerable populations to evacuate.

Part of the community of Iberia is located in the northeastern part of Vermilion Bay, where a storm surge of 1.5 to 3 meters could occur.

“Residents who choose to stay could be without power and unable to leave the area until the tide recedes and the storm debris is cleared,” he said.

5 a.m.: Francine is expected to “strengthen significantly” before landing

Tropical Storm Francine gained little strength overnight Monday into Tuesday, but that is likely to change, meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center wrote in a 4 a.m. forecast.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving north-northwest at about 5 mph. This motion was expected to continue into Tuesday morning before drifting northeast and gaining momentum.

Meteorologists expect Francine to become a hurricane on Tuesday and eventually strengthen into a Category 2 storm before making landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday.

“Currently, a Category 2 hurricane is expected to make landfall near New Iberia on Wednesday evening,” the National Weather Service in Slidell announced shortly after 4 a.m. “Francine's current track could still shift east or west, most likely east.”

Francine is expected to bring “life-threatening” storm surge to parts of coastal Louisiana and northern Texas. Damaging hurricane-force winds are forecast in parts of southern Louisiana.

In addition, rainfall amounts of between 10 and 20 centimeters are expected, with some areas even receiving up to 30 centimeters of rain, which could lead to flash floods.

A storm surge warning is in effect from High Island, Texas, to the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana and Vermilion Bay. A storm surge of 5 to 10 feet is expected from Cameron to Port Fourchon and Vermilion Bay. From Port Fourchon to the mouth of the Mississippi River, the storm surge could be 4 to 7 feet.

This story will be updated later Tuesday.

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