Tropical Storm Francine is strengthening off the Texas Gulf Coast, posing a potential threat to Louisiana as it is expected to intensify into a hurricane before making landfall on Wednesday. Weather experts have described the warm Gulf waters as "rocket fuel," fueling the storm's development.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Francine is projected to pass just offshore of Texas before striking Louisiana and moving into Mississippi. As of Tuesday, the storm already had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, with higher gusts. Forecasters anticipate significant strengthening before it reaches land.

In response to the approaching storm, mandatory evacuations have been ordered in some coastal communities, schools have been closed, and sandbags are being distributed as a precautionary measure. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has urged residents to formulate a game plan, stay updated on local news, and heed the instructions of local officials to mitigate the impact of Francine.

There is a possibility of tornadoes on Wednesday in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle due to the storm. Additionally, swells generated by Francine are expected to affect the northwestern and northern Gulf of Mexico coastline throughout Tuesday and Wednesday.

Energy companies have already started evacuating offshore workers from several production platforms in preparation for the storm. The port of Brownsville, Texas, has been closed, and other ports from Corpus Christi to Galveston have imposed restrictions.

Residents of Cameron Parish, which experienced significant devastation from previous hurricanes, including Hurricane Laura, are preparing for another potential strike. Despite the challenges, some residents like Rick Momin, who works at Bayaks Country Store, expressed resilience, acknowledging that living by the coast involves coping with Mother Nature's unpredictable nature.

The warm seawater in the Gulf of Mexico has provided favorable conditions for rapid intensification of Francine, with the possibility of sustained winds near the storm center reaching 100 mph. However, experts caution that strong winds aloft might hinder further strengthening.

Although the storm is expected to douse Louisiana and Mississippi with 4 to 8 inches of rain, certain areas may receive up to a foot of rainfall by Friday morning, leading to potential flash floods and urban flooding.

New Orleans is predicted to experience tropical storm conditions, with wind gusts up to 60 mph and a significant amount of rainfall. Storm surge of up to 6 feet along Lake Pontchartrain may also result in flooding. The National Weather Service office in New Orleans has advised residents to complete preparations by Tuesday night, as conditions are forecasted to worsen through Wednesday before gradually improving on Thursday.

As of 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Francine was located 120 miles southeast of the Rio Grande River mouth and 425 miles southwest of Morgan City, Louisiana. The hurricane center warns of the possibility of life-threatening storm surge along the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines, potentially leading to evacuation orders. Parts of southwest Louisiana are still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020.

Francine is the sixth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season and is closely monitored alongside two other systems by the National Hurricane Center. One system in the central tropical Atlantic has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical storm within the next 48 hours, while another system farther to the east has a 70% chance of development over the next week.