NEWS PLAYLIST. TOP STORY WITH TOM LLAMAS, STREAMING WEEKNIGHTS AT 7:00 ON NBC NEWS NOW. >>> WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR HURRICANE FRANCINE AS A CATEGORY 1 STORM. THE EYE ON THE MOVE, IT MADE LANDFALL EARLIER AS A CATEGORY 2. PEOPLE ARE ALREADY DEALING WITH HEAVY FLOODING AND STRONG WINDS BACK COULD LEAD TO A LIFE- THREATENING CONDITIONS, INCLUDING POSSIBLE TORNADOES. THOUSANDS ARE WITHOUT POWER IN THE ENTIRE REGION. 2300 LOUISIANA NATIONAL GUARDSMEN ARE STANDING BY TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THE STORM, AND A STATE OF EMERGENCY IS IN EFFECT FOR LOUISIANA AND MISSISSIPPI. LET'S CHECK IN WITH BILL KARINS . BILL, WHAT WILL WE SEE THROUGH THE NIGHT AND THROUGH THE MORNING? >> WE ARE STILL IN A LIFE- THREATENING SITUATION. WE MAY HAVE TO DEAL AS TORNADOES. WE WILL COME DOWN, BUT WE HAVE SEEN ROOFS DESTROYED. WE ARE WEAKENING. OVER THE LAST HOUR OR TWO IT IS STALLING OUT A LITTLE BIT, AND THAT HAS PRODUCED TREMENDOUS RAINFALL TOTALS. ALSO WE WERE STARTING TO GET A COUPLE TORNADO WARNINGS. NEW ORLEANS HERE. THERE IS ONE TORNADO WARNING JUST TO THE EAST JUST TO THE WEST EXCUSE ME, OF SLIDELL. THE RAINFALL IS STARTING TO BE A PROBLEM. ALREADY THREE INCHES. WHEN WE GET TO THE RED CATEGORY, ALREADY 7 INCHES OF RAIN. FLASH FLOODING WARNINGS HAVE BEEN COVERING THE REGION. IT IS A CONSIDERABLE THREAT FOR AREAS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 10. THAT IS THE AREA WHERE WE HAVE HAD ESTIMATES OF 9 INCHES OF RAIN. BUT I AM HOPEFUL YOU HAVE ABOR -- 55 THERE. IT WAS DOWN. NOW IT'S BACK UP T 50. BATON ROUGE, AT 45. DURING THE OVERNIGHT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE THREAT OF TORNADOES. WE HAVE HAD ABOUT THE SAME IN BATON ROUGE. AND HERE ARE THE FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS. EVERYONE STAYING AT HOME, HOPEFULLY THE WATER IS STAYING OUT OF YOUR HOME. >> HOPEFULLY IT'S NOT SO BAD. I'M NOT AN EXPERT AT READING DOPPLER RADAR, BUT YOU HAVE THE STRONG SIDE AND THE WEAK SIDE. THIS AND IMAGES I'VE SEEN SO FAR, WHAT'S GOING ON? >> THIS STORM HAD A LOT OF DRY AIR FROM TEXAS AND MEXICO, SO THAT'S MOVING AND BEHIND IT. SO IT ALSO BRINGS THAT AIR IN. SO THAT IS THE TROPICAL AIR, BUT THE BOTTOM SIDE IS DRY AIR. SO ONCE THE STORM GETS TO YOU IT'S DONE. THERE ARE SOME GUSTY WINDS ON THE BACKSIDE, BUT NOTHING LIKE THE FRONT SIDE. SO, ONCE NEW ORLEANS IS OUT OF THIS IN AN HOUR OR TWO