A hurricane watch has been put in place for parts of southern US as storm Francine is upgraded to a hurricane on Tuesday evening.
The new classification was made by the National Hurricane Center when the storm was found to have sufficient wind speeds. Residents of several states, some inland, can expect to receive warnings regarding heavy storms.
Hurricane Upgrade
Tropical storms are classified as hurricanes when sustained wind speeds top 74 miles per hour under the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.
The scale is a predictor of potential property damage, so the classification of a storm as a hurricane is one to be wary of.
First Storm in a While
Hurricane season experienced an early peak in the Gulf, as several named storms caused damage and disruption.
However, recently, there has been a lull, and Hurricane Francine is the first named storm for over a month.
Wide Agreement on Expected Path
Several models have concurred on the expected future path of the hurricane, which will make its way north through the center of the country.
It is expected to hit land in Louisiana, before moving north through Georgia, losing momentum somewhere around St Louis, Missouri.
Alerts
Coastal regions are under hurricane warnings but, as you move up the US, areas are on hurricane watch or under a less serious tropical storm warning.
Those staying in the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes have received hurricane warnings while those around Lake Pontchartrain and New Orleans Metro are on watch.
Winds
Regardless of the precise path the storm will take in the coming days, south-east Louisiana will be hit with powerful winds.
Forecasts are showing that winds across the region will be up at around 50 to 70 miles per hour.
Storm Surges
Another danger to be aware of as a hurricane hits the coast are the sometimes hazardous storm surges they bring.
The surges are expected to peak in Port Fourchon where water levels may rise as much as 10 inches.
State of Emergency
The seriousness of the situation was underlined on Tuesday evening as Jeff Landry, the Louisiana State Gov, declared a state of emergency.
Mississippi’s State Gov, Tate Reeves, followed suit a few hours later, saying on X that the declaration would help to “mobilize state assets, and respond as necessary.”
Curfews
2 parishes in Louisiana have taken a stronger step than to simply issue hurricane warnings or watches by enforcing a curfew on local businesses.
Lafourche and Washington Parish will have curfews, with Lafourche officials saying that “all businesses should be closed by noon on Wednesday for employees to make it home before the strongest storm impacts begin.”
Emergency Response
Residents of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, have been advised to be prepared for police officers not being able to respond to 911 calls.
Capt Jason Rivarde of the sheriff’s office said: “It is necessary to pull them off the road to allow them to shelter-in-place as the storm passes to preserve their ability to respond following the event.”
