Francine weakens, tropical storm Gordon could develop

Francine is expected to dissipate on Friday, but not without first bringing heavy rains and the threat of flash flooding in parts of the Tennessee Valley and the Southeast, the National Hurricane Center said Friday morning.

Rainfall amounts of between 3 and 6 inches are expected in parts of central and northern Alabama from Friday morning through Sunday, with isolated totals of around 8 inches, the NHC said. Additional rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches are expected in parts of northeast Mississippi, western Tennessee, western Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.

Francine made landfall on the Louisiana coast Wednesday evening as a Category 2 hurricane before being downgraded to a tropical storm. The system has weakened over the past few days and is now a post-tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of nearly 25 mph and stronger gusts, according to the NHC.