New Orleans is just one of the many communities dealing with hurricane Francine as it gets closer and closer to the Gulf Coast and eventually might be going right over New Orleans depending on where the storm sets up we might be dealing with the eyewall here later this evening in New Orleans regardless we're still dealing with intense rains flooding rains and the wind is beginning to pick up as the afternoon goes on and we get closer to evening the pump system here in New Orleans is functioning that's very good there are 99 pumps 90 of them are functioning right now the others can be turned on in emergencies if they need to and remember New Orleans being below sea level any water that falls into the bowl that is New Orleans needs to be pumped out it can handle about an inch per hour of rain rate if it gets beyond that street flooding and urban flooding is likely but the good news is the pump system is working and in fact it can generate its own power so if the power goes out as Francine comes through that pump system will not go down in New Orleans Louisana Justin Michaels The Weather Channel