The center of Tropical Storm Francine was located near latitude 24.1 North, longitude 96.0 West. Francine is moving toward the north-northwest near 7 mph.
A continued north-northwest motion is expected through this evening followed by a turn to the northeast with some acceleration beginning Tuesday. On the forecast track, Francine is anticipated to be just offshore of the coasts of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas through Tuesday, and nearing the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 65 mph) with higher gusts. Significant strengthening is forecast over the next couple of days.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles from the center. The minimum central pressure based on data from the Air Force Hurricane Hunters is 993 mb.
Hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area on Wednesday. Hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch area on Wednesday with tropical storm conditions expected by Wednesday morning within the warning areas.
Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area in Mexico and south Texas through Tuesday afternoon. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area along the northern coast of Mexico tonight.
Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches, from the coast of northeast Mexico northward over the far lower and far upper Texas coasts, across southern Louisiana, and southern Mississippi into Thursday morning.
This rainfall could lead to the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding.
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 water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide.
Cameron, LA to Port Fourchon, LA...5-10 ft Vermilion Bay...5-10 ft
Port Fourchon, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA...4-7 ft
High Island, TX to Cameron, LA...3-5 ft Mouth of the Mississippi River, LA to MS/AL Border...2-4 ft
Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas...2-4 ft Mouth of the Rio Grande, TX to High Island, TX...1-3 ft Galveston Bay...1-3 ft
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. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Storm surge is not expected to pose a threat to the risk reduction system levees. However, there may be some overtopping of local levees. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office. Minor coastal flooding is possible along the coast of Mexico in areas of onshore winds.