Houston, Texas - Tropical Storm Francine was expected to become a hurricane later Tuesday as it headed towards the coast of Louisiana, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.

As of 2:00 PM ET, the storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour and was about 130 miles southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande, according to an NHC advisory.

"Francine now moving northeastward across the western Gulf of Mexico," the statement said. "Expected to become a hurricane this afternoon or tonight."

Louisiana's governor, Jeff Landry, requested that President Joe Biden declare a state of emergency.

"This federal assistance is needed to save lives and property, and I look forward to President Biden quickly approving this request," he said.

A hurricane warning was in place for part of the Louisiana coast, while there were storm surge warnings – indicating danger of life-threatening flooding – in several areas of the southeast.

There have been three hurricanes so far in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and will end on November 30.

Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 storm, was the most significant, reportedly killing dozens when it tore through the Caribbean before hitting the southern US states of Texas and Louisiana.

Scientists say climate change likely plays a role in the rapid intensification of storms because there is more energy in a warmer ocean for them to feed on.