By EFE
Sep 12, 2024, 08:46 AM EDT
Miami – Hurricane Francine was downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday after causing severe flooding and power outages in Louisiana (USA), especially in the New Orleans metropolitan area, forcing the declaration of an emergency to expedite federal aid.
Francine’s maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
However, the tropical system will continue to cause heavy rains, which will extend across Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle in the northwest of the state.
The tropical depression was located 30 miles south of Jackson, Mississippi, according to the 08:00 EST (12:00 GMT) bulletin.
Francine is moving toward the north-northeast near 12 mph and is expected to slow after a turn toward the north during the next day or so.
On the forecast track, the center of Francine will move over central and northern Mississippi through early Friday.
Continued weakening is forecast and Francine is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone later today.
The cyclone, the fourth of the Atlantic season, entered the United States through the town of Terrebonne, about 28 miles south-southwest of Morgan City, as a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with a maximum magnitude of 5.
The previous hurricane was Ernesto, which became a Category 2 hurricane and caused severe flooding and power outages in Puerto Rico, as well as devastation in Bermuda.
Four hurricanes have already formed so far this Atlantic season – which began on June 1 and ends on November 30 – along with Beryl, Debby and Ernesto.
Beryl quickly reached its highest category, Category 5, causing destruction and death in the Caribbean and the United States.
This Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be one of the most active and intense in decades, with up to 25 storms and 13 hurricanes forming.
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Thousands without power and severe flooding due to Hurricane Francine in Louisiana