A tropical storm that has developed over the Gulf of Mexico is expected to grow into a hurricane on Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
Tropical Storm Francine is expected to make landfall as a hurricane on Wednesday over Louisiana, where Governor Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency.
It will bring four to eight inches of heavy rainfall, potential tornadoes and damaging winds to much of central and eastern Louisiana, forecasters said.
Residents along both the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines are being warned of life-threatening storm surge and have been urged to complete their hurricane preparations by Tuesday evening.
A storm surge means there is danger of water rising from the coastline and moving inland. In some places, water may rise up to ten feet (3 m).
The hurricane is also expected to bring “considerable” flash and urban flooding in parts of Louisiana, which recently marked the 19th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the NHC warned.
Francine’s development follows a quiet August and early September during the Atlantic hurricane season, which typically lasts until November. Experts earlier this summer had predicted a busier season this year.
As of Tuesday morning, Tropical Storm Francine was about 395 miles (540 km) southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, a town overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
Its maximum winds are currently 65 mph (100 km/h), though that is expected to strengthen.
Some schools and colleges in the state have closed on Tuesday through Wednesday in anticipation of the hurricane.
US oil and gas producers on the Gulf of Mexico, including Exxon Mobil and Shell, had evacuated staff and in some cases paused drilling in preparation for the storm.
Governor Landry said his state of emergency declaration “will allow parishes statewide to have the resources to help protect the life, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Louisiana.”
Francine is the sixth storm to be named in 2024. (BBC)
