Tracking Francine: Hurricane continues on path toward Lousiana

Good morning. I'm Kju 11. Meteorologist Chris Ramirez. We are tracking the impacts of Francine as it's barreling towards the Louisiana coast. But of course, here across Southeast Texas, here's a look at Galveston right now. Looking at those treacherous waters there of just offshore. You're actually able to see the water just uh approaching the sea wall seems like. But we are definitely seeing that coastal flood advisory that will be in effect for today. All thanks to uh Francine not being too far away. So if you are along the coastal areas, just keep in mind that we could be looking at 1 to 3 or maybe 1 to 2 ft of storm surge uh for folks that are just to the north from Crystal Beach off towards uh Beaumont, so expect some beach erosion and some uh definitely high rip current risk if you are along our coastal areas. Also, there is a wind advisory in effect for our coastal areas until 1 p.m. today as we could see some gusty conditions uh from Francine as it's actually moving towards Louisiana. But looking at the current winds right now, winds are sustained at 18 miles an hour not too many, not too much breezy conditions here across the Houston area up to about maybe 13 to 15 miles an hour. But looking at hurricane Francine as of now, this is as the latest 10 a.m. advisory. Uh we are seeing this uh at a category one storm. It looks like that. We are expecting that to uh maintain its strength as it makes its way towards Louisiana. Winds are at 90 miles an hour, but we are expecting that to continue. It's rather north west northeastern track and expected to make landfall at some point today this afternoon as this storm is coming into contact with some drier air that is in place. And so that's gonna keep that strength as it makes its way closer towards Louisiana, especially as it makes its way, of course to southern Mississippi. It's still gonna maintain that tropical storm force winds there. But look at our future track. We are expecting this to continue seeing that heavier rain moving towards Louisiana. We're still gonna get a few showers out of this for today. So expect some wet roadways here across Houston. But of course, those impacts very well off to the east over in Louisiana as uh they're gonna be dealing with possible. Look at the future track wind gusts that we're expecting to see across the Louisiana coast, we can expect to see maybe between 80 mile an hour winds. Once the center of that Iowa all approaches southern Louisiana and they're expecting up to possibly 70 mile an hour winds and then across New Orleans as we go into the next few hours, as the storm is continuing its track off towards the northeast. So definitely expecting uh very indirect impacts from this storm as it's making its way towards Louisiana here across southeast Texas. But there's still a lot of activity going on in the tropics. There's several disturbances that are now in place across uh, the uh Atlantic Basin. We are expecting that they have already as the National Hurricane Center has already established another tropical depression closer to Africa that is expected to remain well offshore. But all the rest of these disturbances, a very low chance between 20 30% chance of development within the next few days. But radar right now across our area is expecting to see these uh light showers that are gonna be moving through, uh for the rest of today. So we're just gonna get the light showers out of this system as we progress throughout the next few hours. So, of course, uh definitely tracking this storm. And the one thing to note is that we are in hurricane season just about the peak of hurricane season. And, uh one thing that also realizes that this storm is not that far away from us, it is heading towards Louisiana. But of course, we definitely, uh, dodged a bullet here across Southeast Texas 100 and 32 miles away off the coast of Galveston. So we're gonna have to uh of course, pray for our folks off in the Louisiana. So looking at hurricane Francine 10 a.m. advisory winds at 90 miles an hour. As we look at that new track, it is expected to continue its track towards Louisiana making landfall at some point today. As a category one hurricane, we did see this is gonna potentially be a category two storm, but the National Hurricane Center has downgraded that forecasted track. Uh uh in terms of it being a category two back to a category one as it continues its track across uh Louisiana. So lots of rain and especially with this storm for folks along I 10, if you are heading on I 10 towards Louisiana, just keep in mind that this storm is gonna potentially impact all of those areas uh from uh New Orleans. Maybe Baton Rouge seeing some stormy conditions from this, but we are expecting those winds to continue uh becoming just very light for us here across southeast Texas may be between 1318 miles an hour. There is still that wind advisory in effect for Galveston, but they're forecasting up to 80 mile an hour winds maybe close to 69 to 70 mile an hour winds near New Orleans as that storm continues its track. So of course, lots of rain involved with this storm for folks for the east of us across Louisiana. But uh we are expecting this to quickly move out of the picture in the coming days. And also we're tracking those other disturbances as we are definitely heading into the peak of, we are in the peak of hurricane season. And also, uh we are expecting those showers to be in the picture for us here as we head into the next few hours. So definitely, uh keep that in mind to be cautious on those roadways here across Southeast Texas and across the Houston area. Uh We are gonna see that wind advisory in effect for our coastal areas and just keep in mind if you are along our coastal areas, just uh keep in mind that we're gonna see that flooding concern uh along our area, beaches for your summer day forecast, we're gonna see those conditions clear on out high temps topping out in the mid nineties at lows in the seventies. Lots of sunshine expected through the next few days might see an isolated shower for Sunday into the start of next week. But after this uh storm, after Francine moves off towards the northeast, we are expecting a bit of a break uh in this uh cloudy weather uh for the next few days. And of course, you can always uh keep up to date with the Kh eu.com as well as on the Kh Eu 11 Weather app and on Kh Eu Plus