ORLANDO, Fla. – As Hurricane Francine, which officially strengthened into a hurricane Tuesday, continues its track toward the coast of Louisiana, it is expected to make landfall by late Wednesday.
The storm is then projected to weaken into a depression and a remnant low as it moves into Tennessee by the early part of next week.
As of Wednesday morning, Francine has maximum sustained winds of 90 mph.
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Francine is the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
4 areas watched
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring four areas for potential development, including a tropical depression.
Tropical Depression 7, located few hundred miles to the west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, formed in the Atlantic. It has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
Another area of low pressure, designated as Invest 92L, could have slight development in the next day or so. It has a 30% chance of development.
The NHC highlighted another area several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands, designated as Invest 94L, but environmental conditions will be unfavorable for development. It has a 10% percent chance of development.
A non-tropical area of low pressure could form a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline. It could have some subtropical or tropical development early next week as it drifts slowly northward. It has a 20% chance of development in the next seven days.
The next named storm is Gordon.
Hurricane season runs through November.
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