Disaster record
Hurricane Francine (September 2024) — Louisiana
Two years after the disaster 0 deaths $1.3 billion
Summary
Hurricane Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, on September 11, 2024, as a Category 2 hurricane. It brought wind, storm surge, and flash flooding to southeastern Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. New Orleans issued a flash-flood emergency. Hundreds of thousands of customers lost power.
No one died in the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center. Unchanged through September 11, 2026.
Scientific attribution
The storm strengthened over unusually warm Gulf water. Scientists said that extra heat can feed hurricanes. That does not mean climate change was the only cause. There was no World Weather Attribution study of this storm.
Sep 11, 2024 · Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, landfall; flash flooding, surge, and wind across southeastern Louisiana into Mississippi and Alabama · hurricane
← All disasters · Findings · Inclusion rules
Messaging tallies
About these tallies
“Core Democratic Officials reviewed” shows how many of the 53 Core Democratic Officials have been examined for this disaster. Scoring rules: Methods.
Democratic framing
Summary
One Core Democratic Official named this storm in the seven-day window. He did not connect it to climate change. He did not name Republican obstruction of climate action.
On the evening of September 11, Sen. Peter Welch named Hurricane Francine on the Senate floor. He said Louisiana was bracing for the worst as the storm moved onshore. The rest of the speech was about disaster aid for Vermont and for the country. Louisiana has no Democratic U.S. senators.
Statements
- Peter Welch (U.S. Senator (D-VT)) — Sep 11, 2024
Republican framing
Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy, Speaker Mike Johnson, and the Louisiana House delegation asked President Biden for a major disaster declaration on September 12. They talked about relief. They did not mention climate change.
Statements
- Bill Cassidy (U.S. Senator (R-LA)) — Sep 12, 2024
Sources
- Hurricane Francine Tropical Cyclone Report — NOAA / National Hurricane Center
- 4817-DR-LA Initial Notice — Hurricane Francine major disaster declaration — FEMA
- Cassidy, Louisiana Delegation Urge Biden to Approve Major Disaster Declaration in Response to Hurricane Francine — Office of U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy
- Francine's winds accelerated right before landfall, revealing a climate signature — E&E News by POLITICO
- Congressional delegation seeks major disaster declaration — The Times-Picayune / NOLA.com
- Welch: “We can’t expect our communities—those who are ravaged by disaster—to fight alone.” — Office of Sen. Peter Welch
- Letter to President Biden on Hurricane Francine — Office of Sen. John Kennedy
- Hurricane Francine makes landfall in Louisiana as Category 2 storm — Associated Press
- Warm oceans strengthened Hurricane Francine and could power more — Associated Press
- Congressional Record, Senate, September 11, 2024, Disaster Relief Funding — U.S. Government Publishing Office
- Hurricane watches go up for Louisiana as Tropical Storm Francine forms — Yale Climate Connections