A number of warnings have been issued for cities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama ahead of the expected arrival of Hurricane Francine on Wednesday afternoon.

A hurricane warning was issued for New Orleans, with hurricane watches in effect for Morgan City and Houma on Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

Tropical storm warnings are in effect further east, including cities such as Biloxi, Mississippi, and Mobile, Alabama.

Storm surge warnings have been issued for Biloxi, where water levels could rise up to 5 feet (1.5 meters), and Mobile, where water levels could rise up to 4 feet (1.2 meters).

Francine is expected to make landfall as a high-end Category 1 or low-end Category 2 hurricane, with sustained winds of 90 to 100 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The Category 2 classification starts with sustained winds of 96 mph.

Upon landfall, tornadoes are possible in areas around New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, and Pensacola, Florida.

Heavy rain could cause flash flooding from New Orleans all the way to Jackson, Mississippi through Wednesday night. If the storm moves into Mississippi on Thursday, it is forecast to cause flash flooding and gusty winds.

Francine is expected to continue raining through the night and into Friday morning, bringing heavy rainfall to Memphis, Nashville and Paducah, Kentucky.

-Max Golembo of ABC News