Tropical Storm Francine forms in the Gulf, hurricane watch issued in Louisiana

Newly-formed Tropical Storm Francine was named in the Gulf of Mexico Monday morning.

Francine had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as it moved north-northwest at 5 mph about 480 miles south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

A hurricane watch was issued from Cameron eastward to Grand Isle in Louisiana.

Francine is expected to be just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico through Tuesday, and approach the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.

The storm is expected to gradually strengthen over the next few days and was likely to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

While it’s the sixth system of the season, the name may strike you as unfamiliar. If so, you’re correct.

This is the first time that Francine has appeared on the World Meteorological Organization’s list for Atlantic basin storm names.

It replaced Florence from the 2018 season due to its noteworthy impacts to North and South Carolina.

IN SPACE – SEPTEMBER 14: In this NOAA satellite handout image , shows Hurricane Florence as it made landfall near Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina on September 14, 2018. The National Hurricane Center reported Florence had sustained winds of 90 mph at landfall and was moving slowly westward at 6 mph. (Photo by NOAA via Getty Images)

Florence was retired at the end of that season, replaced with Francine.

The WMO names are used in six year cycles, thus making 2024 Francine’s debut.

Barring any extreme outcomes, the name will stay with the 2024 group and repeat again in 2030.