Thousands without power as Hurricane Francine moves inland

Update: The storm weakened Thursday after it made landfall in Louisiana Wednesday night as a Category 2 Hurricane.  The National Hurricane Center downgraded Francine to a tropical depression as it moved north.  More than 400,000 people were without power Thursday morning across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Forecasters expect the storm will bring heavy rainfall to the region through the weekend.

Original story: Forecasters expected the storm to intensify to a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall Wednesday afternoon or evening in central Louisiana. Francine grew from a tropical storm into a hurricane Tuesday night and the National Hurricane Center said it will bring powerful storm surges, winds up to 90 mph and heavy rainfall. The storm is forecast to move north across Mississippi by Thursday and weaken quickly while continuing inland.

What have officials said about the storm? Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Monday declared a state of emergency and President Joe Biden on Tuesday authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency to offer relief. In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott urged residents of eastern Texas to prepare for heavy rain and possible flooding. The National Weather Service warned people in the storm’s path to keep emergency supplies in their homes and to comply with any evacuation orders from local officials.

How many hurricanes have impacted the region recently? At least a dozen hurricanes have hit Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina devastated the state in 2005. Two Category 4 storms have struck the state in the last five years, with Hurricane Laura in 2020 and Hurricane Ida in 2021. 

Dig deeper: Listen to Paul Butler’s report on The World and Everything in It about the cleanup after Hurricane Beryl.