Hurricane Francine nears Louisiana coast with life-threatening wind, storm surge

Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Hurricane Francine was marked by 90 mph sustained winds Wednesday as it moved within 155 miles of New Orleans. It is forecast to make landfall in Louisiana later in the afternoon or evening, according to the National Hurricane Center.

In its 2 p.m. update , the NHC said Francine had maximum sustained winds of 90 mph as it neared the Louisiana coast about 95 miles southwest of Morgan City and 155 miles southwest of New Orleans.

Francine was moving northeast at 16 mph as of the 2 p.m. Wednesday update. A hurricane warning was in effect for the Louisiana coast from Vermilion/Cameron Line eastward to Grand Isle.

The NHC said that little change in strength is expected before landfall. Francine is expected to rapidly weaken after landfall.

A hurricane watch was in effect for metro New Orleans, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. A Storm surge warning was in effect for Cameron Louisiana to the Mississippi/Alabama Border; Vermillion Bay, Lake Murepas and Lake Pontchartrain.

"This general motion should continue through this afternoon, and Francine is anticipated to make landfall in Louisiana within the warning area later this afternoon or this evening," the National Hurricane Center said in a statement. "After landfall, the center is expected to cross southeastern Louisiana tonight, then move northward across Mississippi on Thursday and Thursday night."

Francis reached Category 1 status on the Saffir-Simpson scale Tuesday evening.

"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 NHC update statement said. "Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches across southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, far southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle through Thursday night."

The system was located early Wednesday by the NHC forecasters about 195 miles east-northeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande and roughly 275 miles southwest of Morgan City, La.

Francine had been relatively stationary overnight, but forecasters said it was starting to pick up speed as it moved toward the Louisiana coast at about 10 mph.

Once landfall is made, the storm is expected to move northward into Mississippi on Wednesday night and Thursday, it said.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the Louisiana coast from Cameron to the Vermilion/Cameron Line, East of Grand Isle Louisiana to the Alabama/Florida border, and for Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain, including metropolitan New Orleans.

Francine is packing heavy rain, which is expected to turn into urban and coastal flooding once the storm reaches land.

The storm system is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches across much of Louisiana and Mississippi through early Friday, according to forecasters, who warned the increased risk will bring "considerable flash and urban flooding."

Tropical storm-force winds are extending some 35 miles from the center of the storm.

Port Fourchon to the mouth of the Mississippi River could see a storm surge as high as 7 feet while High Island, Texas, near the Bolivar Peninsula, could reach 5 feet.

"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," the center said. "Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycles and can vary greatly over short distances."

The NHC said storm surge is not expected to pose a threat to reduction system levees.

So far this hurricane season there have been five other named storms -- Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby and Ernesto. Beryl, Debby and Ernesto became hurricanes.