The latest National Hurricane Center update shows Francine a category one hurricane with max sustained winds of 90 mph but she continues to strengthen moving northeast slightly faster at 12mph. Francine is expected to briefly intensify to a Category 2 storm with winds of 100 mph before making Landfall this afternoon between Vermillion and Terrebonne Bays. The latest track shows a path through the Baton Rouge metro area and an eastward shift will bring more to New Orleans. She is expected to weaken quickly as Francine moves Northeastward through the state.
Local leaders in the cities and parishes in the path of the storm say they’re ready. In Morgan City, where Weather Channel reporter Jim Cantore is taking up temporary residence, Mayor Lee Dragna says the city has greatly improved equipment needed to drain the city.
Cut 13 (09) “…pump station now.”
In Terrebonne Parish, President Jason Bergeron has called from a mandatory evacuation for all Coastal areas Zone 1
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In Lafourche Parish a curfew is set from noon today until sunrise Thursday.
As Francine approaches the Louisiana coast, drivers are encountering increasing challenges at the pump, with many gas stations running out of fuel. The rush to prepare for the storm has led to long lines, with residents topping off tanks and filling gas containers for generators in anticipation of power outages. GasBuddy.com Analyst Patrick De Haan says don’t worry…
Cut 4 (09) “…those gas stations.”
Storms like Francine can not only bring out the best in people; unfortunately, it can also bring out the worst in people. That’s the message of Attorney General Liz Murrill, who warns that price gouging is illegal.