Alabama Governor Kay Ivey Issues State of Emergency Ahead of Hurricane Ida
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey has issued a State of Emergency in anticipation of Hurricane Ida's arrival.
“As Hurricane Ida’s trek continues in the direction of Louisiana, we still expect the possibility of flooding and even spin-off tornadoes in portions of Alabama," Ivey said in a Saturday afternoon statement. "With a storm like this, we always want to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, which is why I have preemptively declared a state of emergency for our coastal and western counties."
Ida continues to make its way toward the Gulf Coast, with expected landfall sometime Sunday. The National Weather Service believes Ida will "rapidly intensify" before reaching the coast, possibly hitting Louisiana as a Category 4 storm.
"Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it reaches the coast of Louisiana on Sunday," reads the NWS' website. "Life-threatening storm surge along the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, hurricane-force winds along the Louisiana coast, including metropolitan New Orleans, and heavy rainfall and flooding from southeast Louisiana to coastal Mississippi are expected with Ida."
The weather service urges residents in the expected danger zones to rush to make preparations to protect life and property before Saturday is over.
"We will continue keeping an eye on the evolving system," Ivey said. "I urge Alabamians and our visitors to stay weather aware.”
To read the State of Emergency proclamation in full, click here. Stay connected to the National Weather Service's coverage of Hurricane Ida right here.
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