Francine live updates: Hurricane weakens to Category 1 after making landfall in Louisiana

The worst of Hurricane Francine has not made it to most of the area in the storm’s path, the National Weather Service office in New Orleans said.

“NO ONE is out of the woods yet,” the office said in a 7:20 p.m. CT post. “We have received many calls asking if it’s over. The worst hasn’t not approached any area except for Terrebonne and even then the south side of the eye wall is NOT on shore.”

The office urged people to continue to shelter in place.

The storm is moving through Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, and causing issues with the sewer system, officials said.

Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said stormwater is going through openings in the pipes, which, combined with the saturated soil, is overwhelming the sewer system.

Parish residents were asked to conserve water to help avoid backups. Sheng said the issue was the result of an aging system.

Crews will work to mitigate the issues tomorrow morning, Public Works Director Mark Drewes said. He said there were no major waterline breaks in the parish. 

People were asked to continue sheltering in place as the worst of the storm blows through. Crews will assess the damage when it is safe for them to go out, Sheng said.

Jefferson Parish surrounds parts of Orleans Parish and includes the cities of Metairie, Kenner, Marrero and Jefferson.

Francine continues to move inland across the southeastern region of Louisiana as a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm was about 20 miles east-southeast of Morgan City and 50 miles west-southwest of New Orleans, the hurricane center said in a 7 p.m. local time update.

Francine is tracking northeast at 17 mph and is expected to move into Mississippi tomorrow. Its maximum sustained winds were 85 mph, and winds were expected to weaken, turning it into a post-tropical storm by tomorrow night or Friday, the hurricane center said.

Francine is expected to douse southeastern Louisiana with 4 to 8 inches of rain, with up to 12 inches in some parts of the state, according to the hurricane center. Heavy rain could lead to considerable flash, urban and river flooding, it said.

Flooding is expected because of a dangerous storm surge and the tide. If the peak surge occurs at high tide, water could reach over 4 feet in some places, the hurricane center said.

The water from Burns Point to Port Fourchon could be 5 to 10 feet above ground; the mouth of Pearl River, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, could reach 4 to 6 feet; and Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana could reach 4 to 6 feet, according to the hurricane center.

Conditions are worsening in the New Orleans area, with strong wind gusts of 55 to 65 mph, the National Weather Service office in New Orleans said in a 6:50 p.m. local time update.

Isolated gusts greater than 80 mph, combined with heavy rain, could enhance the flash flood threat, the office said.

A flash flood warning was issued for New Orleans, Metairie, Kenner, Chackbay, Boutte and Des Allemands until 9:30 p.m. local time. The warning was also issued for LaPlace, Luling and Destrehan through 9:45 p.m. CT.

Hurricane Francine was about 55 miles west-southwest of New Orleans at 6:55 p.m. local time.

Hurricane Francine made landfall on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast as a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph. Heavy rain and flooding were expected.

Forecasters said the storm was expected to weaken quickly as it moved inland. NBC News’ Tom Llamas reported.

More than 100,000 customers in Louisiana are without power, with the regions near where Hurricane Francine made landfall hit the hardest.

According to a poweroutage.us, 109,544 customers were without power shortly after 6:15 p.m. local time.

Some parishes most affected were Terrebonne, where Francine made landfall, with 23,360 outages; Lafourche, with 24,137; and Assumption, with 5,157 customers without power.

Orleans Parish had 3,782 customers without power, and Jefferson Parish had 4,901.

Hurricane Francine has weakened to a Category 1 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Although the hurricane has lost strength, forecasters are still calling the storm “life-threatening.” Maximum sustained winds were 90 mph, the hurricane center said.

A Category 1 hurricane has sustained winds of 74 to 95 mph.

The eye of the storm was just inland of southern Louisiana at 6 p.m. local time. Sustained winds of 68 mph were reported in Dulac, with peak gusts of 97 mph. A gust of 59 mph was reported in Patterson.

Francine made landfall about 5 p.m. local time as a Category 2 hurricane in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Gary Driskell stressed the importance for residents to watch local news and listen to officials as Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana.

Driskell said the area is expected to take a direct hit and has already had downed trees and power lines.

St. Mary Parish includes Morgan City, which is in the hurricane’s path. Francine was about 30 miles southwest of Morgan City at 5 p.m. local time.

Hurricane Francine is starting to lash Morgan City, Louisiana, an official said.

Police Capt. John Schaff said the city is at the heart of the storm and is starting to get strong winds.

“Abide by curfew — it’s not safe,” Schaff said.

All police units were pulled off the road because of lack of visibility and high winds, Schaff said. A seawall and lock systems on the levy are keeping water out for now, he said.

Schaff said authorities were rescuing a family whose trailer fell off its blocks because of high winds.

Francine made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane at 5 p.m. local time, about 30 miles from Morgan City. Maximum sustained winds are estimated at 100 mph.

Hurricane Francine made landfall as a Category 2 storm at 5 p.m. local time in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles south-southwest of Morgan City.

Its maximum sustained winds are estimated to be near 100 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Hurricane Francine is expected to make landfall within the next hour, according to the National Weather Service in New Orleans.

Francine is now a Category 2 hurricane and is expected to bring life-threatening conditions, power outages and damage to trees, power lines and some homes, according to the weather service’s posts on X.

New Orleans is not seeing any major problems as Hurricane Francine approaches landfall, a City Council member said.

Council member Eugene Green said there are no major power outages or issues at this point.

He said the city is working to get homeless people into shelters and anticipates that could get too dangerous when winds pick up.

Energy utility Entergy listed fewer than 350 customers without power in Orleans Parish at 4:50 p.m. local time.

Hurricane Francine has grown into a Category 2, bringing a life-threatening storm surge and hurricane conditions as it approaches the Louisiana coast, the National Hurricane Center said.

As of 4 p.m. CT, the storm was 40 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, and 100 miles west-southwest of New Orleans, the NHC said.

Maximum sustained winds were recorded at 100 mph, and the storm was moving northeast at 17 mph, it said.

Francine’s strength is not expected to change much before landfall, which is expected in the next few hours, and the storm is expected to weaken afterward.

It is forecast to cross southeastern Louisiana tonight and move north across Mississippi tomorrow, the NHC said.

Hurricane Francine’s northern eyewall is nearing southern Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center. Residents were urged to remain inside and away from windows.

The storm was churning about 60 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, and 115 miles southwest of New Orleans at 3 p.m. local time, according to the NHC. Its maximum sustained winds were 90 mph.

An oil platform east of the NHC local offices reported sustained winds of 74 mph, and peak gusts of 92 mph, at an elevation of 102 feet, the center said.

Winds on Eugene Island were reported at 54 mph, with peak guests of 70 mph, according to the NHC.

Eugene Island is in the Gulf of Mexico, about 170 miles southwest of New Orleans.

Parts of southeast Louisiana, including New Orleans and the surrounding area, face a significant risk of flooding.

Areas such as Mobile, Alabama, and Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Florida, are under a slight flooding risk.

The remainder of Florida, along with Shreveport, Louisiana, and surrounding areas are under a marginal risk. 

The Louisiana National Guard has more than 2,300 guardsmen ready to support areas affected by the hurricane.

Guardsmen have been mobilizing and deploying across the state since Monday and have over 370 high-water vehicles and 87 boats prepared to assist with evacuations, searches and rescues. More than 60 aircraft from multiple agencies are ready to provide aid if needed, the state’s National Guard said in a news release.

More than 1 million liters of water, 416,400 sandbags and 55,000 tarps have also been strategically placed for potential distribution.

Following the storm, crews have been assembled to help clear roads and debris.

All flights after 12 p.m. have been canceled due to Hurricane Francine, Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport said in a post on X, telling travelers it “will remain open unless conditions become unsafe.”

Airlines canceled the flights ahead of the hurricane’s arrival this evening. Some flights for tomorrow morning have also been canceled.

Francine is about 95 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its afternoon update.

The storm is moving at 16 mph.

Tropical storm conditions are battering the Louisiana coast with life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds expected to begin in the next several hours.

A tornado watch was issued for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi, with the National Weather Service cautioning that several tornadoes are likely. The watch is in effect until 11 p.m. local time, the agency said in a post on X.

A tornado warning is in effect for Louisiana areas including Port Sulphur, Empire and Buras until 1 p.m. local time.

The outer rain bands of Francine are spreading over southern Louisiana with hurricane-force winds expected to hit the region within the next hour or two. 

As the storm continues its approach, flood watches have been issued for about eight million people from Louisiana to northeast Florida. 

New Orleans, Baton Rouge and surrounding urban areas could see up to 5 inches of rainfall per hour, triggering rapid flash flooding. Southern Louisiana into southern Mississippi could see rainfall between 4 and 8 inches. 

Strong winds remain a concern with possible wind gusts up to 80 mph. Widespread power outages are likely. 

Jacques Thibodeaux, the director of the governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, said the “time to evacuate has now passed.” 

“It is the time to go to ground and hunker down,” he said at a news conference. “We are no longer in the ‘prepare for a hurricane,’ we are now in the ‘respond to a hurricane.’”

Gov. Jeff Landry urged residents to “take the necessary steps preparing for the storm.”

“It is on our doorstep as we speak,” he said. 

The governor reminded residents to remain in their homes after the storm so crews could swiftly assess the damage and begin cleanup.

A curfew is in effect for Morgan City, Louisiana, beginning today at 11 a.m. local time and ending tomorrow around 6 a.m. local time, police said.

The city is expected to see wind gusts upward of 90 mph. Police Chief Chad M. Adams urged residents to shelter in place during the hurricane and to keep streets clear so that damage could be accessed after the storm passes.

Morgan City is located about 70 miles west of New Orleans, “right in the middle of everywhere,” according to the city’s website.

President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Louisiana, making federal disaster assistance available to the state, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced today.

“The President’s action authorizes FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts to alleviate the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population and to provide appropriate assistance to save lives, to protect property, public health and safety and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the designated areas,” the agency said.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry will provide updates and address what the state is doing to prepare for the hurricane during a news conference at 11:30 a.m. local time.

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport will remain open as long as conditions are safe, airport officials said in a post on Facebook. Passengers are being told to check with their airline for any delays or cancellations. 

More than 140 flights into and out of the airport have been canceled. 

Alabama should be prepared for strong winds, flooding and possible tornadoes, the state’s Emergency Management Agency said. Baldwin and Mobile counties are under a tropical storm warning and a flood watch, the agency said. A flood watch is also in effect for Washington County. 

Threats of tornadoes have increased and a few are possible in the southwestern parts of the state from this afternoon through early tomorrow. The entire state could see tornadoes beginning late tomorrow morning into the evening. 

The agency cautioned that tornadoes in a tropical system often develop fast with little advanced warning and can be “rain-wrapped,” making them difficult to see. 

“If a warning is issued for your area, take immediate action by getting to the lowest floor of a sturdy building,” EMA said. 

Francine is expected to bring wind gusts at or above 40 mph in rain bands and nonprecipitation wind gusts of 25 mph to 40 mph. Heavy rainfall is also a threat with 2 to 4 inches of rain forecasted for much of the state through early Friday. 

The rain could trigger local flooding in urban areas and coastal flooding in low-lying areas. 

Hurricane Francine is likely to make landfall between Avery Island and Houma, Louisiana, between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET today.

This will be the seventh hurricane to make landfall in Louisiana in the last eight years. Here is a rundown of the main threats.

Rain

As much as 12 inches of rain could fall in some areas across southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi.

The sheer amount of rain, between 3 and 5 inches per hour, could cause rapid flash flooding especially in urban areas such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Flood watches are in place for 8 million people from Louisiana to northeast Florida, with the threat of heavy rain and flooding moving north and east tomorrow from the Florida Panhandle into southern Illinois.

Storm surge

The highest storm surge of between 5 and 10 feet is possible along the southcentral Louisiana coast between Vermillion Bay and Port Fourchon.

Areas around Lake Pontchartrain could experience 4 to 6 feet of storm surge. Areas on the northern periphery of Lake Pontchartrain will be at higher risk for inundation because that part is not as heavily leveed as the southern end.

Wind gusts

While Francine is expected to rapidly weaken after landfall, wind gusts up to 80 mph will still be possible across southern Louisiana.

Widespread power outages are likely and tornadoes are also a formidable risk today, especially across southeast Louisiana into southern Mississippi and the western Florida Panhandle through the night.

New Orleans: Rain begins around 10 a.m. ET with the heaviest downpours likely between 12 p.m. and 12 a.m. ET; wind gusts up to 60 mph, peaking between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m.

Baton Rouge: Rain begins around 10 a.m. ET with heaviest downpours between 1 p.m. and 12 a.m. ET; wind gusts up to 50 mph, peaking between 7 p.m. and midnight.

Lafayette: Rain beings around 9 a.m. ET, with the heaviest rain between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET; wind gusts up to 50 mph, peaking around 6 p.m.

Gulfport: Heavy rain begins by 12 p.m. ET and continues into the early morning hours tomorrow; wind gusts up to 60 mph, peaking around midnight.

A state of emergency is in effect for Louisiana as Hurricane Francine gains strength through the Gulf of Mexico. There could be as much as 6 feet of storm surge. NBC’s Jesse Kirsch reports and the “TODAY” show’s Al Roker tracks the latest forecast.

A group of teenagers from the small community of Lafitte, Louisiana, south of New Orleans, spent 14 hours stacking sandbags yesterday, NBC affiliate WDSU of New Orleans reported.

The group, part of a sports teams, had been working alongside their coach since 6 a.m. yesterday and planned to come back early today to carry on protecting the low-lying area.

There is a mandatory evacuation order in place for Lafitte and the surrounding area.

A long list of schools are shut today and tomorrow across Louisiana. WDSU has the details.

Tropical storm Francine was expected to make landfall as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane along the Gulf Coast today, with storm surge the biggest threat along the coast. NBC News’ Jesse Kirsch reports on how New Orleans is preparing for the storm.

Hurricane Francine poses a real and serious risk to New Orleans that should not be underestimated, Jon Porter, chief meteorologist at private weather forecasting company AccuWeather, said last night.

“AccuWeather hurricane experts are becoming increasingly concerned about the risk for damaging winds in the densely populated New Orleans metropolitan area,” Porter said in a media advisory note.

“Should Francine pass closer to the city, the storm’s eyewall, the most intense part of the storm can pass near or over parts of the city, which would increase the risk for wind gusts of 80-100 mph,” he added, noting that this could cause widespread and potentially long-lasting power outages.

People should, he advised, be prepared with enough food and water to last several days.

“There are a lot of other headlines in the news this week. We are concerned that this storm is not getting enough attention and that some people may be caught off guard by the strength and damaging impacts from Francine,” Porter said.

Roxanne Riley, 42, stocks up on supplies at a Walmart as she prepares to shelter in place in New Orleans as Tropical Storm Francine barrels toward the Louisiana coast yesterday.

As Francine slowly makes its way toward the U.S. Gulf Coast, with landfall expected today, the National Hurricane Center warns that the storm could continue to strengthen and become almost a Category 2 hurricane.

Category 1 storms have wind speeds of between 74 and 95 mph; Category 2 is from 96 to 110 mph. Francine has sustained wind speeds of 90 mph, the NHC said in a 2 a.m. update.

The hurricane center said its intensity forecast shows Francine nearing category 2 strength this morning.

“A notable increase in shear and intrusions of dry air should end the opportunity for strengthening just before Francine reaches the coast,” it said.

Some positive news for people in its path: the cyclone will rapidly weaken once it moves inland.

Residents across the Gulf Coast are bracing for the impact of Hurricane Francine. Most of Louisiana’s coastline is under a hurricane warning. NBC News meteorologist Violeta Yas has the latest forecast on “Early TODAY.”  

Satellite images released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show Hurricane Francine in the Gulf of Mexico as it advances toward Louisiana late yesterday.