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The Covington County Emergency Management Agency is following the development of Tropical Storm Francine.

The tropical storm was likely to become a hurricane on Tuesday and make landfall along the northwest Gulf Coast Wednesday afternoon. Although the track of the storm is forecast to make landfall to the west of Alabama, officials expect multiple impacts across the local area.

Confidence is increasing on the potential for tornadoes across the area, especially near the coast Wednesday night through Thursday.

Heavy rainfall and flooding concerns increase Wednesday and Wednesday night, with the greatest potential for heavy rains and flooding across southeast Mississippi and southern portions of southwest Alabama and the western Florida panhandle.

There is also the potential for tropical storm force winds across portions of southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama late Wednesday into Thursday morning.

Any eastward shift in the storm’s track would result in more impacts.