JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) has declared a State of Emergency ahead of Hurricane Francine.

“I’ve declared a State of Emergency. This will allow us to mobilize state assets, and respond as necessary,” Reeves said on Tuesday, September 10.

Officials have encouraged Mississippians to prepare for the storm. Sandbags are being offered at multiple locations across the state to help homeowners and businesses. Several schools have also announced closures ahead of the storm.

Francine became a hurricane Tuesday evening as it barreled toward south Louisiana, strengthening over extremely warm Gulf waters as those in possible harm’s way rushed to complete storm preparations, filling sandbags, buying gas and stocking up on necessities for an expected landfall in the coming day.

The freshly minted Category 1 hurricane packed top sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kph) and forecasters warned it was expected to crash ashore Wednesday afternoon or evening in Louisiana with a potentially life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds — perhaps even as a Category 2 storm with winds of 96 to 110 mph (155 to 175 kph).

Francine is the sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

A hurricane warning was in effect along the Louisiana coast from Cameron eastward to Grand Isle, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south of New Orleans, according to the center. A storm surge warning stretched from the Mississippi-Alabama border to the Alabama-Florida border Such a warning means there’s a chance of life-threatening flooding.

Click here to keep up with the Storm Team 12 forecast.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.