2:05pm Monday: Hurricane Watch for Louisiana Coast!

4:10p This forecast has been updated. Hurricane warnings have been issued for the Louisiana coast. The update is available here. 

2:05pm. Francine is strengthening significantly. As of 1pm, it is maximum sustained winds are 60 mph and the pressure has dropped to 996 mb. Here is the forecast rainfall. 

10:10am: NHC has officially upgraded the system in the southwest Gulf to Tropical Storm Francine. A hurricane watch has been issued for the Louisiana Coast from Cameron to Grand Isle. 

Then-Hurricane Francine is forecast to come ashore with 85 mph winds. The winds will affect Baton Rouge and, possibly, New Orleans. Please note the hurricane watch goes inland a ways to account for the potential for 75 mph or stronger winds away from the coast. 

Pink = hurricane watch.  Yellow = tropical storm watch.  Amber = area of 40 to 50 mph winds at present.

Maximum sustained winds are 50 mph and the lowest pressure is 1002 millibars. 

Published at 9:20am: The system in the southwest Gulf is much more impressive this morning on satellite. It would not surprise me if the National Hurricane Center (NHC) officially named it as Tropical Storm Francine this morning or afternoon. 

Maximum sustained winds appear to be in the 45-50 mph range. It is drifting slowly toward the north northwest. 

The path forecast from NHC looks good. They are forecasting the storm to be a hurricane by tomorrow afternoon (H on the map) and they believe it will be a hurricane at landfall.

Amber is the current area of tropical storm-force winds. Yellow is a tropical storm watch. 

The preparation suggestions I've been providing are still appropriate. I will provide a complete update this afternoon.