LSU urged students to finalize preparations in a Tuesday afternoon message broadcast as the university is issuing a shelter in place order Wednesday morning to Thursday afternoon, the times, it said, when Francine-related weather is supposed to be worst.

The message, sent by the Office of Communications and University Relations, reaches students hours before Hurricane Francine is forecasted to make landfall as a Category 2 hurricane, where it is expected to make contact with central-south Louisiana Wednesday afternoon or evening. Francine’s status was officially upgraded to be a hurricane Tuesday evening, a few hours after the message was broadcast.

The university asks student-residents not to go outside during the order, lasting from 10 a.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. Thursday for their safety. The university said it will deliver meals to residence halls during the shelter in place timeframe.

Even after the order is over, the university said students should exhibit caution. Trees may be downed, power lines disrupted and streets closed. LSU asks students stay tuned to university update and news 

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