Heavy Showers & Thunderstorms Likely Across Parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida

Tropical Storm & Hurricane Watches Posted For Entire Louisiana Coast

09/09/24 1:03pm ET

New Orleans Regional Radar 09/09/24 12:42pm ETPhoto byNWS

Good afternoon everyone. Scattered heavy showers & thunderstorms continue to brush coastal/near coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Scattered storms are lining up and meandering around areas northeast of Orlando, Jacksonville, Gulfport, and the New Orleans area.

Scattered is the key word, and not everyone will see some action. For those who do, look for locally gusty winds, torrential rain, frequent lightning, and some flooding in poor drainage areas. As with the tropical-like thunderstorms we've seen in the past week or so, there is also a risk of a few waterspouts with some of these heavier cells.

It is important to know that this has nothing to do with Tropical Storm Francine, not yet. Eventually this stationary front will be converted into the outflow boundary for Tropical Storm Francine as she strengthens into a hurricane, but we have some time on that aspect.

As far as Francine goes, heavy bands of showers and thunderstorms have been coming ashore across some of south Texas' barrier islands, such as South Padre; then inland towards Brownsville. Here, we are expecting a brushing of tropical storm conditions as opposed to the full-on impacts. That being said, heavy rain and gusty winds could cause some damage.

Our biggest concern is up on the Texas/Louisiana border and across the entire Louisiana shore. This is where we are expecting a landfalling Hurricane and everything that comes along with it. Dangerous and damaging storm surge will impact areas from the center of circulation on eastward. As far as winds, we will probably be looking at a strong category 1 or minimal/moderate category 2 hurricane.

The timeline on this continues to look like a late afternoon to late evening landfall along the central Louisiana coast, then it'll head up the Mississippi. Expect widespread flooding rain and severe weather, including widespread tornadic activity as it heads up to the north/northeast.

Aside from Louisiana, areas such Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, and Illinois, all need to watch this closely for the hazards associated with a landfalling hurricane.

National Weather Service - Hurricane Watch - Upper Lafourche, LA