New Orleans area warily eyes Francine. High winds, flooding and power outages are concerns. (2024)

The New Orleans area kept a wary eye on Tropical Storm FrancineMonday as it gathered power in the Gulf, hoping to be spared its worst impacts when it barrels ashore as an expected Category 2 hurricane, but stocking up and preparing to ride out potential high winds, flooding and power outages.

Francine became a tropical storm early in the day and gained strength rapidly, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph by late afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was expected to become a hurricane as early as Monday night, then strengthen to a Category 2 before making landfall Wednesday afternoon.

Forecasts on Monday afternoon showed it moving inland southwest of the Lafayette area, near Jennings, with winds of around 100 mph.

Gov. Jeff Landry declared a statewide emergency, and hurricane or tropical storm watches and warnings were in effect across the entire Louisiana coast. The main focus was from Sabine Pass along the Texas border to Morgan City, where a hurricane warning was in place. A hurricane watch was issued from Morgan City to Grand Isle.

A tropical storm watch was issued for east of Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River, including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng called for a mandatory evacuationfor residents outside the levee protection system, including Crown Point and Lafitte, "due to the life-threatening storm surge that we're expecting."

As reality dawned on New Orleans area residents that the region was at risk of significant impacts, grim, well-worn rituals commenced. Residents flocked to stores and waited in line for gas. They grabbed shovels to fill sandbags. Shrimpers secured their boats. Generators were pulled from sheds and filled with fuel.

School closures were announced across the region, with early dismissal on Tuesday and classes canceled on Wednesday and Thursday for NOLA Public Schools. Jefferson Parish schools will be closed Wednesday and Thursday as well.

Even the storms' outer bands could pose problems for southeast Louisiana. A storm surge warning was in effect from High Island, Texas to the mouth of the Mississippi River, while a surge watch was in place from there to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including Lakes Maurepas and Pontchartrain. Surge of 4 to 7 feet could occur from Port Fourchon to the river's mouth.

"Francine is expected to bring heavy rainfall, coastal flooding, gusty winds and even a few tornadoes to the area, mainly Tuesday night through Thursday morning," the National Weather Service office for the New Orleans area reported.

'Not anymore'

While the impact on New Orleans was not yet clear, some residents were not taking chances.

Jim Smith, an Uptown resident who was stocking up at Walmart on Monday, said he's on the fence about whether to stay or go. He booked a hotel in Pensacola, Florida for his girlfriend and three dogs, just to be safe. The 36-year-old said Hurricane Katrina changed his perspective on storm preparation.

“Everyone who lived through that knows to prepare a little bit more,” he said. “We used to throw parties and stuff. Not anymore.”

State and local officials, for their part, were making early preparations, sharing information, deciding next steps and organizing sandbag distribution. Landry said he spoke to FEMA head Deanne Criswell early Monday and requested a pre-landfall emergency declaration from the White House.

“We want everyone in the state to be cautious and vigilant," the governor said at a news conference. "We don’t want to downplay this event, but we also do not want people to panic.”

New Orleans officials planned to open a site in Central City for vulnerable residents and those who would otherwise sleep outside. Two other sites could be opened if needed.

“Now, again, is the time to finalize your storm plans and to prepare, not only for your families, but also looking out for your neighbors,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said at a press conference. “As we in New Orleans know all too well, our first responders tend to be our residents.”

Flooding was a concern in the city. Sewerage and Water Board officials said they had plenty of power available to run the city's drainage system, which is designed to pump one inch of rain in the first hour of a storm and half an inch every hour thereafter. The current forecast calls for four to six inches of rain through Thursday, officials said.

Preparations extended to the jail. Nearly 200 people being held at the Orleans Justice Center were evacuated, and some low-level criminal suspects were being released.

'Possibility of power outages'

In the River Parishes, hit hard in 2021 by Category 4 Hurricane Ida, residents were girding for what may lie ahead. In St. Charles Parish, Parish President Matthew Jewell said he wasnot expecting Francine to bring the same level of damage as Ida, but the storm’s trajectory could put the parish in line for sustained tropical force winds.

Entergy was also preparing for possible power outages and the need to deploy repair teams quickly.

"With just a few days remaining before the system is expected to impact the coast, Entergy’s Louisiana utilities are urging customers to prepare for the possibility of power outages," officials said in a statement. "Now is the time to finalize personal storm plans and assemble an emergency kit with essential supplies."

It was unclear how much rapid intensification would come into play for the storm. Water temperatures of nearly 88 degrees in the western Gulf will provide fuel for Francine, but forecasters said they expect other factors to limit how strong the storm will ultimately become. Wind shear could cause the storm's strength to plateau at Category 2.

The Coast Guard reminded boat owners that its ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or unavailable at the height of the storm. It also warned that dangerous weather conditions generated by a hurricane can cover an area hundreds of miles wide.

"The maritime community and boating public are strongly urged to track the storm’s progress and take action to protect themselves and their vessels," it said. "Extremely high seas, heavy rains, and damaging winds that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes present serious dangers to the public."

With contributions from Times-Picayune and Advocate staff writers.