MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico will bring heavy rain and gusty wind to the Mid-South by Thursday and Friday, forecasters predict, bringing the threat of widespread power outages with them.
Hurricane Francine made landfall as a category 2 storm in Louisiana late on Wednesday.
After landfall, what's left of the storm will continue to move northward, impacting Memphis and the Mid-South by Wednesday night into Thursday and Friday.
The storm is expected to bring heavy rain and wind gusts upwards of 40 mph to the region, which presents a threat for widespread power outages.
"Any time you get wind speeds higher than 40 mph, there's a threat of branches and debris falling on power lines and infrastructure," ABC24 Meteorologist Trevor Birchett said. "This amount of heavy rain could also saturate the ground, causing trees to uproot."
ABC24 reached out to MLGW to see what they were doing to prepare for the storm.
"MLGW is always prepared to deal with weather-related outages," A utility spokesperson said. "Crews are prepared to work around the clock if needed."
MLGW also shared a storm preparedness guide to help residents get ready for storm-related damage.
If you experience a power outage, MLGW said you should call their outage center at (901) 544-6500. You can also visit their outage center website HERE.
Portable Generator Safety
MLGW said those with portable generators should take extra care in the event of a power outage, since they present a threat for carbon monoxide, a colorless, odorless gas that is toxic to humans.
MLGW said a generator should only be operated in a well-ventilated and dry area, away from air intakes to the home. It should be protected from direct exposure to rain or moisture.
A portable generator cannot power an entire house. MLGW said you should not plug it in to a wall outlet, because it can not only ruin your home's electricity and start a fire, but also feed the power back to a utility line, endangering any utility workers who could be working on it.
Plug individual appliances into the generator using heavy duty, outdoor-rated UL-listed cords with a wire gauge adequate for the appliance load.
When power is restored, unplug all appliances and lights connected to the generator.
If you have a picture from the storm you want to share, we want to see it! Text us at (901)-321-7520 or join our ABC24 Weather Watchers Facebook group to share your photo.
