Thursday, September 12th, 2024:
As of 11am, Francine is now a tropical depression with sustained winds of 35 mph and rapidly weakening.
Francine is moving toward the north near 14 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue with a decrease in forward speed through Friday. On the forecast track, the center of Francine will move over central and northern portions of Mississippi this afternoon and tonight and move into northeastern Arkansas by Friday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast, and Francine is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone later today or tonight.
WIND: Wind gusts to tropical-storm force are possible for the next few hours over portions of central Mississippi and western Alabama.
RAINFALL: Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches across portions of Mississippi, eastern Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and the Florida Panhandle. Localized amounts of 12 inches are possible over portions of Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and Georgia. This rainfall could lead to considerable flash and urban flooding.
STORM SURGE: Water levels remain elevated along the Gulf coast between eastern Louisiana and Alabama but will recede through this afternoon.
TORNADOES: A few tornadoes are possible today across the Florida Panhandle, southern and central Alabama, and southwest Georgia.
SURF: Swells generated by Francine should subside along the northern Gulf coast through today. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
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