Storm tracker: Track projected path of Tropical Storm Francine toward Texas, Alabama

Anthony Robledo and Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read

Tropical Storm Francine will demonstrate a "faster motion" to the northeast on Tuesday as it continues to develop offshore by the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The system, which developed into a tropical storm Monday, is expected to keep strengthening and make landfall along the Gulf Coast this week, the center reported.

Francine is expected to be just offshore of the coasts of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas through Tuesday, and make landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, the NHC said in a Tuesday morning advisory.

"Francine will likely become a hurricane today, with significant strengthening expected before it reaches the coast," the NHC said in the advisory.

Estimated 125 miles south southeast of Rio Grande, the storm carried sustained winds of about 65 mph on Tuesday morning. The system only moved north-northwesterly at 5 mph, forecasters said.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Louisiana coast east of Morgan City to Grand Isle, the NHC said Tuesday. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Louisiana coast east of Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River, including metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.

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NHC tracking two other tropical disturbances in the Atlantic

In addition to Francine, the NHC said Tuesday morning it is tracking two other tropical disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean.

The first is an "elongated area of low pressure" currently located over the central tropical Atlantic. The disturbance, currently labeled as Invest 92L, is producing shower and thunderstorm activity, however environmental conditions appear "only marginally conducive" for slight development over the next few days, the NHC said.

A tropical depression could still form during the time as the system moves westward over the central tropical Atlantic, the NHC said, giving it a 40 percent chance of formation over the next seven days.

The second disturbance is currently located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands and is expected to "interact and merge" with a strong tropical wave located between the west coast of Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands over the next couple of days, the hurricane center said.

After that, environmental conditions "appear favorable for gradual development" of this combined system, with a tropical depression likely forming during the latter part of this week while the system moves west-northwestward, according to the NHC.

The system has a 70 percent chance of formation through the next seven days.

Tropical Storm Francine tracker

Tropical Storm Francine spaghetti models

Spaghetti model illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The Hurricane Center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tropical Storm Francine tracker: See projected path, spaghetti models

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