Amite and Wilkinson counties were under a tropical storm watch Monday afternoon as Southwest Mississippi prepared for winds of about 40 to 75 mph — strong enough to cause scattered power outages and some structural damage — and a soaking rain from Tropical Storm Francine, which is expected to make landfall as a hurricane Wednesday night or early Thursday.
The storm’s winds will be felt as early as Wednesday morning, forecasters said.
Francine developed into a tropical storm Monday morning and as of early Monday afternoon, it was located about 435 miles south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, moving north-northwest at 7 mph and packing 65 mph sustained winds.
Francine is expected to become a hurricane as early as Tuesday, possibly a Category 1 or 2, before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday. It’s expected to make landfall in Southwest Louisiana and move northeast, putting Southwest Mississippi in range.
The National Weather Service said Amite and Wilkinson counties, which will be closer to the storm’s center, could experience winds of 58 to 73 mph, which is strong enough to damage roofing, siding, porches, awnings, carports and sheds. Forecasters predict the winds could also damage windows, doors and garage doors, as well as mobile homes, especially those that are not anchored.
“Unsecured lightweight objects become dangerous projectiles,” a weather service advisory reads.
The storm will have the potential to uproot trees and blow over fences.
Some roads will be impassable from debris and scattered power outages are possible.
In Pike and Walthall counties, the predicted impact was less severe as of Monday afternoon, according to the weather service.
These areas could face winds of 39 to 57 mph, which are strong enough to damage porches, awnings, carports, sheds and unanchored mobile homes; shear off tree limbs, uproot trees, block roads with debris and cause scattered outages.
Southwest Mississippi could see 4-6 inches of rain from Francine.
“Elsewhere across Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi, little to no impact is anticipated,” the forecast advisory said.
Storm surge watches were in effect from High Island, Texas, to the Mississippi-Alabama border, including Vermilion Bay, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain.
A hurricane warning is in effect from Sabine Pass to Morgan City in Louisiana. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Louisiana Coast east of Morgan City to Grand Isle, La.
A tropical storm watch is in effect from Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River and stretches through central Tangipahoa Parish, as well as Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas and areas in southeastern Texas and the western portion of the Louisiana coastline.
