Maximum sustained winds were estimated to be near 100 mph. Louisiana residents had braced for the storm's impact after Francine strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane. At 8 p.m. local time,

Hurricane Francine is closing in on the Louisiana coast as a 90 mph Category 1 storm. Forecast: The storm is forecast to rapidly intensify and reach Category 2 strength Wednesday afternoon before it makes landfall later in the evening.