NOAA

The impact of Tropical Storm Francine on the Texas coast remains minimal as the system continues to move east.

According to the National Weather Service, Francine is likely to hit Louisiana as a hurricane early Wednesday afternoon. The storm has continued to gain strength as it moves along the Gulf Coast.

Coastal warnings have been expanded for Louisiana, and emergency evacuation orders have been issued for some low-lying areas along the state’s coast.

RELATED TOPICS: After Beryl, all eyes turn to Texas and Harris County authorities as hurricane season picks up again with Francine

Contrary to Francine’s earlier models, Texas will not bear the brunt of the storm, and it is expected to miss Houston entirely. A new warning from the National Weather Service on Tuesday morning shows the system moving even farther east, with Louisiana in its sights as it forms and strengthens.

National Weather Service

“Hurricane forecasters are responding to fairly consistent model projections that have developed over the past 24 hours that show that Francine will likely remain well off the Texas coast once it forms and will eventually make landfall in the southwest or likely somewhere in south-central Louisiana on Wednesday,” Eric Berger, a meteorologist with Space City Weather, told Houston Matters on Monday.

“For Houston, that means we can expect stronger winds and possibly rain showers starting Tuesday night and into Wednesday,” Berger said. “The extent of those rains and winds will actually depend on how far Francine stays from the coast.”

However, these winds would not be comparable to those during Hurricane Beryl, Berger said.

Still, emergency management agencies and utility companies in the Houston and Galveston areas are preparing for the impact of the storm that could hit the region this week.

RELATED TOPICS: CenterPoint says it’s ready for Tropical Storm Francine as 5,000 frontline workers put on standby

“We are monitoring, planning and preparing to respond to the impacts of Tropical Storm Francine on our communities,” said Darin Carroll, a CenterPoint Energy spokesman, in a statement. “We are taking the necessary preparation steps while also communicating with our customers and coordinating closely with our local and statewide emergency partners.”

After Hurricane Beryl swept through Houston in July, power outages lasted for weeks. Governor Greg Abbott ordered the utility to develop an action plan to prevent prolonged blackouts during hurricane season.

CenterPoint has prepared 1,850 local emergency responders and identified more than 5,000 additional responders for the storm, according to a press release Monday.

RELATED TOPICS: Tropical Storm Francine forms in Gulf of Mexico; Houston and Texas authorities prepare

The Harris County 4th Police District Office has flood rescue equipment deployed throughout the county to be prepared for possible storms and flooding.

In Galveston, city officials hope to avoid Francine’s stronger winds. The city is preparing for possible power outages and urging residents who rely on medical equipment to take precautions.