Houston Residents May Dodge A Bullet With Tropical Storm Francine, For Now

Local meteorologists are monitoring the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Francine develops. It is forecasted to move toward Texas’s neighbor to the east, Louisiana.

Francine began as a tropical wave, entering the Gulf of Mexico on Friday as a cluster of undeveloped storms before organizing into the sixth named tropical storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season on Monday.

According to Space City Weather, data from computer modeling indicates that the storm is projected to remain off the Texas coast, causing “modest to minimal” impacts on the Houston area.

Forecasts showed that Francine shifted to the northeast on Monday, as meteorologists expect the brunt of the tropical storm to hit the Louisiana coast. It could cause serious damage if it develops into a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center warned Louisiana residents that the storm could strengthen to become a hurricane by Wednesday. The National Weather Service placed the Louisiana coast under a hurricane and storm surge watch.

Forecasts anticipate surges of four to seven feet or five to 10 feet. The storm surge watch includes areas east of High Island, Texas, to the Mississippi-Alabama coast.

The tropical storm’s projected path could change; however, time is running out for this to occur. Houston residents will likely see elevated rain changes on Tuesday afternoon, night and into Wednesday — especially in locations south of I-10 — as a result of the storm.

Eric Berger, a meteorologist with Space City Weather, wrote that he does not anticipate the potential for much or any flooding—with the possible exception of areas immediately along the Texas coast.

Galveston Island could see tropical storm-force winds on Wednesday morning; however, Berger noted the chance of this is low. Houston is expected to get 15 to 20 mph winds that could gust upward of 30 mph but should not cause significant issues with electricity distribution.

Any rainfall and tropical storm-related winds are forecasted to move out of the Houston area by Wednesday afternoon or evening.

CenterPoint Energy raised some alarm bells over the weekend as the utility provider announced it was instituting preventative measures ahead of the storm. These efforts included stationing crews throughout the region, pre-storm vegetation management and securing additional resources.

The company reminded its customers to stay alert to potential weather developments and make necessary safety precaution plans, particularly those requiring electricity to maintain “life-sustaining equipment.”

Houston Mayor John Whitmire said on Sunday that city officials were prepositioning generators, deploying high-water rescue vehicles and increasing staffing levels across essential departments in the days ahead of the tropical storm. Whitmire added that Houston would be ready for “any scenario” that could result from Francine.

On Sunday, Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas Division of Emergency Management to prepare for additional state emergency response sources. The agency issued an activation notice to the Texas Emergency Management Council agencies. 

This story will be updated as needed.