The threat of heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and spin-up tornadoes is expanding northward into the Mississippi and Tennessee valleys as Tropical Rainstorm Francine pushes inland.
After making landfall in coastal Louisiana as a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds, Francine brought significant flooding to the New Orleans metro area.
“New Orleans was hit particularly hard with flooding,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. “Francine intensified rapidly over extremely warm waters before landfall, a trend we’ve been warning about for months. It’s an alarming pattern that everyone along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts needs to be prepared for.”
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As Francine moves inland, the risk of flooding and damaging winds of 40-60 mph extends across parts of eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, and the Florida Panhandle. Severe thunderstorms could spawn tornadoes, particularly to the north and east of the storm’s center.
“Francine has slowed significantly, which will exacerbate flooding concerns,” said AccuWeather On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno. “We could see tornado threats reaching as far inland as the Nashville area as warm air pushes north.”
The 2024 hurricane season has not followed expected trends, particularly with a developing La Niña pattern. Although not particularly busy in terms of storm numbers, this season has seen significant impacts. “We expect the tropics to remain active into October,” said AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva. “It’s critical to remain vigilant for storms developing in areas that aren’t typically impacted this time of year.”
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Rayno described the 2024 hurricane season as “odd,” noting that storms like Beryl, Debby, and Ernesto were long-track systems that formed early, while Francine developed much closer to the U.S., which is atypical for September.
Meteorologists are closely monitoring a new potential tropical threat forming along the Southeast coast. Known as a “homebrew” storm—one that forms near the U.S. coast—this system could bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the Carolinas and lower mid-Atlantic region, even if it does not develop into a named storm.
“We’re watching the area off the Carolina and Georgia coasts for tropical development this weekend,” DaSilva said. “People in these areas should prepare for impacts similar to those from a landfalling tropical storm.”
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Gusty winds, rough surf, and beach erosion are expected along the coast, along with the possibility of severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and waterspouts.
A tropical cyclone in the eastern Atlantic, currently designated as Tropical Depression 7, is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Gordon. This system is forecasted to stay at sea and avoid impacting populated areas.
Looking ahead, meteorologists warn of the potential for additional tropical threats through late September and October. AccuWeather was the first to revise the forecast for the 2024 hurricane season, lowering the expected number of storms following the first Labor Day weekend in decades without a named storm.
Families, businesses, and emergency officials are urged to stay prepared for rapid tropical developments in the weeks ahead.
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