Tropical Storm Francine is expected to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane before reaching the Louisiana coast on Wednesday, with maximum wind speeds of 90mph. Residents along the coastlines of Texas and Louisiana are being warned of life-threatening storm surge up to 10 feet, potential tornadoes, and dangerous winds. Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana is urging residents to be prepared and heed evacuation warnings, with some schools and colleges closing as a precaution. The state is still recovering from previous hurricanes, and oil and gas producers in the Gulf of Mexico have evacuated staff and paused drilling operations. Francine is the sixth named storm of 2024 and its arrival coincides with a relatively quiet hurricane season so far, despite predictions of increased activity due to warmer sea temperatures. Experts are closely monitoring two other weather systems in the mid-Atlantic that have the potential to develop into larger storms.
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