(NEW YORK) -- Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Tuesday warned residents to have all preparations ready and to be in a safe place by Wednesday morning.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Baton Rouge while a tropical storm warning was issued in New Orleans.
Heavy rain and strong winds are already lashing the Texas coast on Tuesday.
Conditions will begin to deteriorate Wednesday morning along coastal Louisiana.
Up to 1 foot of rain is forecast for parts of Louisiana.
New Orleans will see the worst impacts from Francine between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Storm surge could reach 10 feet along parts of the Louisiana coast. The New Orleans area could see 2 to 5 feet of storm surge.
Flash flooding will be the biggest threat for Louisiana and Mississippi during the day Wednesday and Wednesday night.
By Thursday, the heavy, flooding rain will spread into Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and Kentucky.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.