Article first published: Monday, Sep. 9, 2024, 4 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Monday, Sep. 9, 2024, 1 p.m. ET

On Monday at 1 pm, the National Hurricane Center issued an advisory stating that the potential tropical cyclone that has been named Francine has developed into a tropical storm with winds of 60 miles per hour. Tropical Storm Francine is 180 miles south-southeast of Mouth of the Rio Grande and 450 miles south-southwest of Cameron Louisiana, with maximum sustained wind of 60 mph. It’s moving 5 mph to the north-northwest.

“… Francine is anticipated to be just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico on Tuesday, and approaching the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.” forecasters explained. “Additional intensification is expected over the next day with more significant intensification forecast on Tuesday Night and Wednesday.” They also said “Francine is expected to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday.”

The system strengthened enough to get a name: Tropical Storm Francine. It found new strength and has evolved from a potential tropical cyclone into a tropical storm with sustained winds of 60 miles per hour.

YESTERDAY (Sunday):

Yesterday (Sunday) at 4 pm, the National Hurricane Center published the first advisory for a potential tropical cyclone. Extreme southern Texas under a tropical storm watch, forecasters report.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:

– High Island Texas to the Mississippi/Alabama Border

– Vermilion Bay

– Lake Maurepas

– Lake Pontchartrain

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:

– The Louisiana coast from Cameron eastward to Grand Isle

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

– Barra del Tordo to the Mouth of the Rio Grande

– Mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield

– East of High Island Texas to Cameron Louisiana

– East of Grand Isle to Mouth of the Pearl River

– Lake Pontchartrain

– Lake Maurepas

A Storm Surge Watch means there is a possibility of life- threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, in the indicated locations during the next 48 hours. For a depiction of areas at risk, please see the National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND:

WIND: Hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area by Wednesday afternoon, with tropical storm conditions possible by Wednesday morning.

Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area along the northern coast of Mexico and extreme southern Texas beginning Tuesday, and for the extreme northern Texas and portions of the Louisiana coast on Wednesday.

RAINFALL: Tropical Storm Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches, from the coast of far northeast Mexico northward along portions of the southern Texas coast, the far upper Texas coast and across southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi into Thursday morning. This rainfall could lead to the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Francine, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml? Rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml? Ero.

STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

Cameron, LA to Port Fourchon, LA…5-10 ft Vermilion Bay…5-10 ft Port Fourchon, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA…4-7 ft High Island, TX to Cameron, LA…3-5 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the landfall location, where the surge will be accompanied by large and dangerous waves. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Storm surge is not expected to pose a threat to the risk reduction system levees. However, there may be some overtopping of local levees.

Minor coastal flooding is possible along the coast of Mexico in areas of onshore winds.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at1.shtml? PeakSurge.

SURF: Swells generated by this system are affecting portions of the Gulf coast of Mexico and are expected to spread northwestward across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico coastline through midweek. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Source: National Hurricane Center