Looking at Hurricane Francine Inside the Numbers

While Francine is now longer a powerful hurricane, it will continue to wreak havoc across the southern U.S. and beyond in the coming days. Here is what forecasters are saying is up next for this storm system.

Latest on Francine

As of 7 am CDT Thursday, Francine was spinning as a tropical depression about 30 miles to the south of Jackson, Mississippi. Forecasters predict that Francine will downgrade to a tropical rainstorm as it continues to push inland over the southern U.S. on Thursday and into Friday.

The center of Francine is continuing to weaken as it makes the transition to a tropical rainstorm. This will translate to the most meaningful impacts happening to the north and east and of the center of circulation. Heavy rain and severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes in the eastern and southern flanks of the storm will be the most notable dangers. Waterspouts will also be a potential danger along the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday and Friday.

Francine's winds have died down considerably since the speeds of 100 mph recorded at around the time surrounding landfall. However, gusts of 40 to 60 mph are still in the forecast through Thursday night for a zone from eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, the western and central portions of Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. These high winds are likely to move as far north as eastern Arkansas and the southwestern corner of Tennessee.

The towering rain showers and storm cells will work to bring the strong winds to the ground. This could mean more power outages throughout parts of Mississippi and Alabama through the day Thursday and into the overnight hours.

The torrential rain will continue to present issues over the next several hours. While total rainfall amounts are still being confirmed, it is being reported that the New Orleans area has already picked up between 7 and 9 inches of rain. Of that amount, 3 - 5 inches fell in a period of just three hours on Wednesday evening as Francine skirted by the city.

The south-central U.S. could use this rain as long as it does not trigger mass flooding events. The interior portions of the Southeast have been facing increasing amounts of drought drought conditions thanks to the dry summer.

The runoff from the rain will eventually filter downstream, sending water levels rising on the Tennessee, Ohio, and lower Mississippi rivers. A large section of both the Mississippi and Ohio rivers are grappling with low water levels, generating problems for barge operations and commerce in the region.

Francine is expected to stall out as it is sandwiched between an area of high pressure and dry air anchored over the north. This will mean that any remaining moisture will get wrung out in a narrow zone.

One of the most far-reaching impacts of Francine will be its effects on the petroleum industry throughout the Gulf of Mexico. Operations were suspended in some parts of the central Gulf as Francine roared. These disruptions will likely be reflected in what consumers pay at the gas pump in the weeks ahead.