HOUSTON – Hurricane Francine is expected to cause changes to portions of the coasts in Texas and Louisiana.
According to the coastal change forecast released by the U.S. Geological Survey on Tuesday, Francine is expected to cause an over-wash of sand dunes, erosion, and possible inundation. Francine is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday.
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According to the National Hurricane Center, there is also the possibility of a life-threatening storm surge in portions of coastlines in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Francine’s waves have the potential to cause erosion on 75% of the dunes from High Island, Texas, all the way to the Louisiana-Mississippi border, according to estimates by USGS experts. Roughly 61% of the dunes along the coasts could be over-washed, and 34% could become inundated—or covered by floodwater—from the storm.
When a beach experiences over-washing, sand is pushed forward and deposited inland, which can cause significant changes to coastal landscapes. This can damage sand dunes and leave them more susceptible to future storm damage.
The USGS will continue to update coastal change forecasts as the storm reaches land. You can keep up with those forecasts here.