While tropical storms and categories 1 and 2 are not to be taken lightly, it's when we reach Category 3 that a storm reaches "major hurricane" status and has a greater increase for loss of life and property damage. Here is a breakdown of the storm categories, as explained by the National Hurricane Center.

Hurricanes are strong storms that cause multiple damages in areas that they pass through. The National Hurricane Center determines the strength of a hurricane based on its wind speeds. The Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is broken up into five different categories.

NEW ORLEANS >> Hurricane Francine strengthened to a Category 2 storm today just before it made landfall in Louisiana, threatening New Orleans and the wider Gulf Coast with powerful winds, rain and a storm surge that led to evacuation orders for thousands of people.

Hurricane Francine came ashore in southern Louisiana on Wednesday, pounding New Orleans with heavy rains and gusty winds while threatening the wider Gulf Coast with a potentially deadly storm surge that led to evacuation orders for thousands of people.

Francine, the sixth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, may be a hurricane by Tuesday. Landfall forecast on Louisiana coast Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Francine is forecast to reach hurricane status Tuesday as it moves through the western Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to make landfall in Louisiana on Wednesday, bringing significant impacts to the U.

Warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico are expected to fuel the storm’s growth as it approaches the U.S. coast, with hurricane warnings already in place for parts of Louisiana.

Heavy rain and storm surge are among the impacts expected from Francine, which is forecast to become a Category 2 storm before landfall.