Francine gained energy and speed overnight, and is presently considered a Category 1 Hurricane - expecting to bring storm surges to the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines & tropical storm conditions into the morning of Weds. Sept. 11. Francine is expected to make landfall on Weds. Sept. 11 afternoon, with hurricane force winds, heavy rainfall bringing flash flood warnings to not only the coastline bracing for impact but also for the states that are in the path after it makes landfall, like Alabama, & the lower Tennessee valley into Friday.
Ahead of the storm, evacuation orders are in place for areas of Louisiana and Mississippi with schools, airports, oil rigs, and more closing to brace for the impact of the storm. This means that overland lanes for Louisiana such as rail, LTL, and FTL are likely to be diverted or temporarily stopped for the storm and openings will consistently be re-evaluated as the storm makes landfall and works it's way inland. Many ports and logistics providers are bracing for the storm, as much of the area projected to be affected by Francine has been experiencing heavy rain for the last two weeks - making the possibility of flooding more likely - and working to make plans to provide support to disaster relief organizations.
If you have any questions or concerns about how this may affect your particular project, please reach out to your Freight Manager or Warehouse Manager with questions.