Hurricane Francine made landfall on Thursday, now downgraded to a tropical depression but still unleashing heavy rain across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.

More than 400,000 homes and businesses lost power early Thursday, just hours after the storm hit Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, as a Category 2 hurricane with winds reaching 100 mph. Although the winds weakened, the persistent rainfall transformed city streets into rivers as Francine battered New Orleans.

As floodwaters began to recede in some neighborhoods, others were still predicted to receive up to a foot of additional rain by the weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm’s sustained winds dropped to 35 mph by Thursday as it traveled over Mississippi. However, concerns about dangerous coastal storm surges remained from this sixth and most potent storm of the hurricane season, the National Hurricane Center reported.

“As the sun rises this morning, DO NOT go out for sightseeing,” the National Weather Service in New Orleans posted on Twitter on Thursday. “Stay inside today! Rescue workers and emergency responders need to operate without interference!”

Updates:

∎ Some tornado activity is possible on Thursday, especially across areas from the Florida Panhandle to north-central Alabama.

∎ The center of Francine is expected to move through central and northern Mississippi until early Friday.

Ports Start to Reopen in Texas

Key oil and fuel export ports from southern to central Texas reopened on Thursday after being closed due to the storm. Corpus Christi, which handles the largest volume of oil exports, removed restrictions, as did ports in Freeport, Houston, and even up to Sabine, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

However, Louisiana ports including Cameron, Lake Charles, New Orleans, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard, along with parts of the Mississippi River, remain closed, as reported by the Coast Guard. The closures are impacting the exports of energy, agriculture, and metals.

The Gulf region represents about 15% of all domestic oil production and 2% of natural gas output, according to federal statistics.

Franklinton Resident Assists Elderly and Disabled After the Storm

William Riley, a resident of Franklinton, Louisiana, located 70 miles north of New Orleans, managed to keep his home powered through the storm. He decided to use his energy to help others in need. Riley, 31, shared on social media that his road was clear and offered free assistance to elderly and disabled residents in his area.

“I’m just reaching out to everyone,” stated Riley. “If I don’t receive any calls, I’ll drive around to see if anyone needs help.”

Riley owns a marine construction company, equipping him with helpful tools like excavators, skid steers, and chainsaws. Helping those in need has always been a priority for him.

“Many people cannot afford services to remove fallen trees blocking driveways, homes, or cars, and dealing with insurance can take ages,” he remarked. “After a disaster, it’s the perfect time to lend a hand to others.”

Power Outages Affect Most of New Orleans

The usually bustling French Quarter in New Orleans was quiet on Thursday, with a strong police presence and very few people out. After the rain ceased early in the morning, David Blaszak noticed fallen branches and nonfunctional traffic lights on his way to work around 6 a.m. At Mary’s Ace Hardware, where he serves as the general manager, customers rushed in when the store opened at 8 a.m. to pick up small tools and supplies for repairs, Blaszak told YSL News.

“People are looking for small repair items and gas cans for their generators,” Blaszak, 67, shared.

While the French Quarter maintained power on Thursday morning, the majority of the city remained without electricity, according to Blaszak. The underground electrical infrastructure in the French Quarter makes it less vulnerable to storms. However, his home in nearby Marigny lost power on Wednesday night and was still in the dark on Thursday.

“The main issue is the power outages, especially the discomfort of no air conditioning,” he elaborated.

− Claire Thornton

Classes Suspended Due to Francine − But Learning Continues

Numerous schools closed on Thursday across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, many also shutting their doors on Wednesday, with some not reopening until next week. In New Orleans, classes were canceled for nearly 50,000 public school students for the second consecutive day on Thursday, with uncertainty regarding Friday as well. District officials

The schools have announced on their website that they will evaluate the storm’s effects on Thursday and decide when classes can resume.

In East Baton Rouge, schools were closed on Wednesday and Thursday. To lessen the disruption to learning, students were provided with assignments through Chromebooks or printed packets. They were encouraged to complete the tasks “to the best of their abilities.” According to district officials, students facing internet issues due to the storm will have opportunities to catch up, as mentioned in a message to the school community.

“Shifting to remote learning will help reduce learning loss and minimize the need for in-person make-up time,” the message stated.

Recovery from the Louisiana storm may take months

Louis Ruffino has a lot of work ahead of him. The owner of a hurricane recovery service in Amite City, Louisiana, anticipates 18-hour workdays for the next two weeks following the devastation caused by Storm Francine.

“Today, we’ll focus on removing trees and debris,” he told YSL News early Thursday. “We’ll also have to remove sheetrock from flooded homes and businesses.”

Ruffino mentioned he has already observed some storm damage. “Some businesses have lost their roofs,” he said. “There are numerous homes with trees fallen on them, and many fences are down.”

He estimates a full recovery from Francine will take about four months, a much quicker process compared to the year and a half his team spent after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Despite the destruction and outages, he believes the community is resilient. “They’ve dealt with many storms before, so while they are understandably concerned, they are also confident they will recover,” he said.

Some areas may receive up to 12 inches of rain

Francine is predicted to bring up to 6 inches of rain to regions in Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Certain areas in central and northern Alabama and along the Florida Panhandle might see localized rainfall of as much as 12 inches.

This rainfall could result in significant flash and urban flooding, according to the hurricane center.

New Orleans faces sewage challenges amid the storm

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans is dealing with power outages and other complications, prompting officials to recommend water conservation. Jefferson Parish officials also asked residents to limit water usage due to the “aging sewer system,” as noted by Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng. She reported multiple complaints on Wednesday about residents unable to flush toilets and bubbling manhole covers.

“The system is overwhelmed,” Sheng stated during a Wednesday press conference. “The water is backing up because there’s nowhere for it to go.”

Officials advised residents to refrain from actions like washing dishes and laundry to alleviate pressure on the sewer system. They noted that over 500 lift stations and more than 1,800 pumps are operating to manage the situation.

“Crews are actively investigating sewer backups, but they will halt work once winds hit 35 mph,” the parish announced.

Keep that candle extinguished and use a flashlight

The National Hurricane Center has provided guidelines for managing power outages. Key advice includes:

• Utilize flashlights instead of candles.
• Switch on flashlights before entering buildings to avoid sparks from potential gas leaks.
• Keep portable generators at least 20 feet from doors, windows, and garages to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Ensure portable generators are grounded correctly and not overloaded.
• Drink bottled or boiled water as purification systems may not be functional.

Hurricane season activity is on the rise

Storm Francine isn’t the only system presenting a concern: meteorologists are also monitoring four additional disturbances in the Atlantic, which seems to have come alive after a period of inactivity. This uptick is expected as this week marks the apex of the Atlantic hurricane season.

While none of these systems currently pose an immediate risk to land, they are being watched for their potential to develop into tropical storms, the National Hurricane Center indicated on Wednesday.

The four systems vary in location, ranging from just off the U.S. coast to a tropical depression far out in the Atlantic near Africa. Tropical Depression Seven, located in the eastern Atlantic, is anticipated to soon become a tropical storm and will be named Gordon.

Hurricane naming: Why and how it’s done

In the past, meteorologists had to refer to storms with cumbersome descriptions like “the storm 500 miles east-southeast of Miami.” However, as storm positions regularly change, this became confusing, especially when multiple storms occurred simultaneously.

In 1953, the U.S. started assigning female names to storms once they reached tropical storm status, defined by sustained winds of at least 39 mph. By 1979, both male and female names were introduced, alternating between the two genders.

There are six rotating lists of names in alphabetical order, with names from this year reappearing in 2030. Names starting with Q, U, X, Y, and Z are excluded due to a lack of available options. Additionally, names of particularly deadly storms, such as Katrina, have been retired.

Contributing: Doyle Rice, YSL News; Reuters