STACK UP AGAINST THE COMPETITION. >>> IT IS OUR JOY TO BE WITH YOU NOW ON "NBC NEWS DAILY." THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. WE ARE FOLLOWING TWO BIG STORIES MAKING HEADLINES TODAY. FIRST, THE FIERY DEBATE BETWEEN VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS IN THE HISTORY BOOKS. WE WILL HAVE ALL THE HIGHLIGHT AN ANNOUNCEMENT IN A MOMENT. >>> LOUISIANA BRACING FOR HURRICANE FRANCINE. CLEANING -- MAKE LANDFALL THIS AFTERNOON. THE GOVERNOR WARNING RESIDENTS A SHORT TIME AGO TO TAKE THE STORM SERIOUSLY. >> I WAS URGED TO TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO PREPARE FOR THE STORM. >> WE SPEAK. >> RIGHT NOW RIGHT F NOW, EFRAN INCHING CLOSER TO THE COAST WITH HEAVY RAIN, WIND, FLASHLIGHT DANGERS AND POSSIBLY LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGES. OUR I'M METEOROLOGIST HAVE BEEN TRACKING FRANCINE FROM OUR WEATHER CENTER. WE WILL GET MORE FROM JESSIE KIRSCH ON THE GROUND. YOU ARE ACTUALLY ALREADY FEELING SOME OF THE OUTER BANDS FROM THE STORM. OFFICIALS ARE WARNING PEOPLE TO SHELTER IN PLACE. HOW BAD IS IT THERE? >> Reporter: IT'S NOT THAT BAD YET. THE RAIN HAS BEEN PRETTY STEADY AND I STAYED FOR AN HOUR PLUS NOW WE HAVE A LIGHT BREEZE BUT WE ARE EXPECTING THINGS TO DETERIORATE IN THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS. WE COULD SEE 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN IN AN HOUR. THERE IS ALSO CONCERN ABOUT STORM SURGE AND TORNADOES HERE IN NEW ORLEANS. FRANCINE IS MOVING TOWARD LANDFALL AS A HURRICANE, I CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE, WITH WINDS AROUND 90 MILES AN HOUR. ONE READING OF A GUST OVER 100 MILES AN HOUR OFFSHORE. WATCHING THE STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MAKE ITS WAY TOWARDS LANDFALL, YOU JUST HIT IT RIGHT THERE. PEOPLE ARE BEING TOLD TO STAY HOME AND THE GOVERNOR SAID THE BOTTOM LINE IS, IT IS PASS THE TIME TO BE EVACUATED. NOW IS A TIME TO BE SHELTERING IN PLACE. THAT IS SOMETHING WE SEEM TO BE SEEING BY AND LARGE HERE IN NEW ORLEANS. THERE ARE -- THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT WALKING AND SOME WALKING DOGS AND BY AND LARGE, PEOPLE HAVE YESTERDAY TO GET SANDBAGS TO PROTECT PROPERTY. WE WENT TO A GROCERY STORE TO NOT BEEN SEENPLIES ON THE STREET THIS MORNING. WE SAW PEOPLE LINING UP AROUND THE BLOCK YESTERDAY TO GET SANDBAGS. WE WENT TO A GROCERY STORE TO GET SUPPLIES AND MUCH OF THE BOTTLED WATER HAS ALREADY BEEN CLEARED OUT. PEOPLE CLEARLY TAKING PREPARATIONS HERE IN LOUISIANA AS WE WAIT FOR THAT STORM TO MAKE LANDFALL. BACK TO YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>> LET'S GO TO GET METEOROLOGIST KAREN WHO HAS BEEN TRACKING FRANCINE ALL WEEK. I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT THE EYE OF THE STORM IS VERY BIG. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT AND WHAT WILL CHANGE WHEN IT MAKES LANDFALL LATER TODAY? >> IT HAS BEEN WEAKENING RAPIDLY. ONCE IT MOVES AND NOW IT WILL QUICKLY -- THE LATEST IS IT IS DONE INTENSIFYING. IT WILL SLOWLY WEAKEN FOR THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. WE WANT THIS AS WEAK AS POSSIBLE. IF WE CAN GET MORE GUST IN THE 40 TO 50 MILE PER HOUR RANGE, THAT WILL BE BETTER. THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS TO WATCH IS TOO LATE FOR MANY PREPARATIONS -- RIGHT NOW, THEY ARE ONLY 18 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR AT THE HIGHER COSTS ARE JUST OFFSHORE AND THOSE WILL BE COMING ONSHORE IN THE NEXT COUPLE HOURS. HURRICANE MOURNERS, -- WARNINGS, WE DO EXPECT POWER OUTAGES AND THIS EVENING IN LOUISIANA. FLASHFLOODING AND ISOLATED TORNADOES OR