JOINING US FOR CBS NEWS TEXAS AT 4:00. I'M KEN MOLESTINA . >> I'M KAREN BORTA. >>> WE BEGIN WITH TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE PICKING UP SPEED AND STRENGTH IN THE GULF OF MEXICO AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTHWARD. IT IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY BEFORE MAKING LANDFALL ALONG THE LOUISIANA COAST WEDNESDAY. TODAY, PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS LINED UP TO FILL SANDBAGS AHEAD OF THE POTENTIAL FLOODING. TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT WITH RESIDENTS HERE FOR HEAVY RAIN STORM SURGE AND POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES. >> THEY PREDICT A PATHWAY OF A STORM LIKE THIS , WHICH DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN OUT TO BE TRUE. AS A RESULT, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY . THE CONDITIONS COULD CHANGE AND IT COULD CAUSE THE STORM TO MOVE FURTHER WEST. INCREASED DANGER TO PARTS OF TEXAS. EVERYONE ALONG THE TEXAS COAST SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT AND TUNE INTO THIS UNTIL THE STORM PASSES THEIR AREA. >> MANDATORY AND VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS ARE UNDERWAY AND SCHOOLS ARE SCHEDULED TO CLOSE ACROSS SEVERAL LOUISIANA PARISHES WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY, INCLUDING THE PARISH THAT ENCOMPASSES NEW ORLEANS. >> THE STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING RAINFALL AS FAR NORTH AS MID-MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO VALLEYS. >> FOR THE LATEST ON TROPICAL STORM FRANCINE'S TRACK AND TIMING, LET'S GET TO FIRST ALERT METEOROLOGIST COLLIN MYERS. >>> WE JUST GOT THE UPDATE. WHAT WE ARE WATCHING IS AT THE SURFACE, THIS IS SURFACE RADAR THAT WE WOULD USE FOR THUNDERSTORMS. WE ARE USING THE BROWNSVILLE SITE AND LOOKING TO SEE IF THEY KNEW I WAS GOING THERE. ONCE THAT HAPPENS, I WOULD EXPECT RAPID INTENSIFICATION, WHICH WILL PROBABLY NOT HAPPEN, BUT IT IS A MUCH FASTER PROCESS. HURRICANE HUNTERS WENT THROUGH THERE AND WE ARE VERY CLOSE. YOU GET A HURRICANE AT 74 OR ABOVE , SO WE ARE RIGHT THERE, BUT THE DRY AIR SO FAR HAS BEEN WINNING IN ITS BATTLE OF FRANCINE AND WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THAT. WE HAVE HAD A CLOSED CORPS YESTERDAY AND WE SEE A DIFFERENT STORY ALREADY TODAY. VERY TALL HOT TOWERS STARTING TO WRAP AROUND THE NORTHERN SIDE. CAT 1 >>> BY 1:00 A.M. TONIGHT AND WE WILL PROBABLY BE THAT. IT WILL PROBABLY BE A CAT 1 STORM AS EARLY AS 10:00. IT IS SPEEDING UP MAKING LANDFALL CLOSER TO THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY TOMORROW BETWEEN 1:00 AND 4:00 OR SO, THEN UP TO 90 MILES AN HOUR. NOT FAR FROM A CAT 2 STORM . ONCE IT DEVELOPS TO THAT CORE, WE HOPE IT MOVES QUICKLY AND DOES TAKE OFF. ANY OPEN TIME OF THESE GULF WATERS IS NOT GOOD NEWS. COMING UP, WE WILL BREAK IT DOWN , BUT THE DRY AIR HAS NOT CIRCLED OUT. WE HAD A CUT OFF ON THE SOUTH WESTERN SIDES. IT IS STILL TRYING TO BATTLE SOME OF THAT. WHEN IT MOVES NORTHEAST, IT WILL RUN INTO A WIND SHEAR FROM THE WEST. A COUPLE OF THINGS WORKING TO MITIGATE THIS SIMILAR TO HURRICANE BERYL TWO MONTHS AGO. THE SAME FACTORS ARE HELPING US OUT. THE NO CLOSED VERTICAL COURT TO ALLOW IT TO OCCUR AND SPREAD OUT OVER THE TOP TO INTENSIFY IT. THAT IS GREAT NEWS. AGAIN, WE ARE WATCHING THOSE TOWERS. >>> COMING