Hurricane Francine is expected to make landfall in Louisiana later today as a Category 2 storm.

As the storm makes its way up the state, Lafayette County is expected to see heavy rain on Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for our area from 1 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday.

The storm will likely be downgraded to a tropical storm when it reaches north Mississippi. The primary threats are heavy rainfall, with totals of 2 to 4 inches expected in Lafayette County.

There is also the potential for strong winds and a slight chance for isolated tornadoes as the storm tracks north.

The rain and wind is expected to roll into north Mississippi at about 3 a.m. and continue throughout Thursday and into Friday morning. Wind gusts of up to 40 mph are possible on Thursday, which could topple trees and take down powerlines.

With the ground hard and dry, fast and heavy rain could cause flash flooding.

The storm will drop the temperature with a high of 69 degrees forecast for Thursday.

There is a 40 percent chance of rain showers on Friday, mostly during the morning hours, with a high near 71 expected. Winds will be around 10 mph.

Slight chances of rain continue throughout the weekend as the storm heads north. The highs are expected to climb back up to the low 80s over the weekend.

The Oxford EAGLE will post weather updates and any closings on its website and Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) pages.