Hurricane “Francine” struck the coastal areas of Louisiana on Wednesday night (September 11) with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, causing approximately 190,000 users to lose power and potentially leading to widespread flooding.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced at 4 pm Central Time that “Francine” made landfall in Terrebonne Parish, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Morgan City, with maximum sustained winds near 100 miles per hour (155 kilometers per hour), before moving inland to impact the coastal areas.
Television news in the coastal communities showed waves crashing against levees from nearby lakes, rivers, and bays. Flooding rushed into city streets and residential areas amidst heavy rain, with trees leaning in the strong winds and some power lines swaying back and forth.
Following landfall, a large area in southeastern Louisiana experienced power outages. According to data from “PowerOutage.US,” which tracks power outages nationwide, the outages affected most households and businesses in the coastal parishes closest to where the hurricane made landfall, as well as neighboring inland parishes.
“Francine” is the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, intensifying to a Category 2 hurricane just hours before landfall with winds exceeding 96 miles per hour (155 kilometers per hour).
As the hurricane moved further inland, it began to weaken, downgrading to a Category 1 hurricane in less than two hours with maximum wind speeds of 85 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour), continuing to move rapidly northeast towards New Orleans, about 55 miles (90 kilometers) away.
It is expected to further weaken as it moves north through Mississippi on Thursday, with the potential for widespread heavy rainfall in the coming days, bringing flash flooding to cities like Jackson in Mississippi, Birmingham in Alabama, Memphis in Tennessee, and Atlanta in Georgia, with the possibility of tornadoes.
Brad Reinhart, a senior hurricane expert at the National Hurricane Center, stated that rainfall in most areas of Louisiana and Mississippi could reach 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with some areas possibly receiving up to 12 inches (30 centimeters).
President Biden has declared a state of emergency to help expedite federal funding and aid to Louisiana. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also announced a state of emergency for the state.
“Francine” has also prompted storm surge warnings along the Louisiana coast, with storm surges in some areas reaching up to 10 feet (3 meters).