Storm Alert – September 11, 2024 – Hurricane Francine

Hurricane Francine is quickly approaching Louisiana after intensifying overnight into a Category 1 hurricane. With 90 mph winds, Francine’s core is approaching southern Louisiana and is expected to make landfall later today, bringing widespread impacts across the Gulf Coast. A hurricane warning is in effect from Cameron to Grand Isle, with storm surge warnings extending from Louisiana to the Mississippi-Alabama border.

Francine is forecast to strengthen to a Category 2 hurricane before landfall, with severe flooding, damaging winds, and possible tornadoes. Even though Francine isn’t considered a major hurricane, this storm will nevertheless have a big effect. In the worst affected locations, storm surge may reach up to 10 feet along the coast, and destructive gusts close to the eye could reach speeds of up to 100 mph, posing serious danger to coastal towns.

After landfall, Francine is projected to spread heavy rain and strong winds across Louisiana, Mississippi, and as far north as the lower Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Power outages, downed trees, and coastal flooding are likely in affected areas, including New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Biloxi, and Mobile, with scattered outages possible further inland.

For those operating in the impacted areas, ensure your fuel tanks are free of water to prevent any damage or operational issues. Use your Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG), stick, or water-finding paste to detect any excess water in your fuel tanks. If you find significant amounts of water (1 inch or more), do not order or dispense fuel. Instead, contact your fuel supplier and arrange to have the contaminated fuel removed. For more information on what to do after the storm has passed, please read our What to Do After the Storm FUELSNews guide.

Mansfield is operating at Code Orange in Louisiana, requesting 48-hour notice for new deliveries. We will continue to monitor market conditions and keep customers alerted as the situation progresses.