Hurricane Francine Causes High Waves in Texas

Hurricane Francine has made landfall and is expected to weaken as it moves northeast, causing hazardous conditions along the Gulf Coast. A rip current advisory is in effect from Punta Gorda to Tampa Bay until Friday night, with low cloudiness and scattered thunderstorms anticipated in the region. In Texas, surfers are taking advantage of larger waves, with sea conditions reaching up to 12 feet and wind gusts of 35 mph leading to small craft advisories. Coastal flood warnings are in place across much of Texas’s Gulf Coast, and beachgoers are advised to exercise caution due to increased rip current risks. Several disturbances are being monitored in the tropics, including a tropical depression that could soon be named Gordon, although it poses no immediate threat to Florida. Overall, drier weather is expected to set in after the weekend, providing a brief respite from the storm's impact.