Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Alabama Coast

This product covers portions of southwest Alabama...northwest Florida...south 
central Alabama...and inland southeast Mississippi. 
 
**IDA EXPECTED TO BEGIN RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING SOON** 
NEW INFORMATION 
--------------- 
 
* CHANGES TO WATCHES AND WARNINGS: 
- The Tropical Storm Watch has been upgraded to a Tropical Storm 
Warning for Baldwin Central, Baldwin Coastal, Baldwin Inland, 
George, Greene, Mobile Central, Mobile Coastal, Mobile Inland, 
Perry, Stone, Washington, and Wayne 
 
* CURRENT WATCHES AND WARNINGS: 
- A Tropical Storm Warning and Storm Surge Watch are in effect 
for Baldwin Central, Baldwin Coastal, Baldwin Inland, Mobile 
Central, Mobile Coastal, and Mobile Inland 
- A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for George, Greene, 
Perry, Stone, Washington, and Wayne 
 
* STORM INFORMATION: 
- About 420 miles south-southeast of Mobile AL or about 400 miles 
south of Pensacola FL 
- 24.8N 86.1W 
- Storm Intensity 85 mph 
- Movement Northwest or 315 degrees at 16 mph 
SITUATION OVERVIEW 
------------------ 
At 10 AM CDT, Hurricane Ida was approaching the very warm central Gulf 
of Mexico waters, moving northwest at 16 mph. This general motion 
should continue until Ida reaches the northern Gulf coast on Sunday. On 
the forecast track, the center of Ida will move over the central Gulf 
of Mexico sometime this evening and continue to progress northwest, 
making landfall along the northern Gulf coast Sunday evening. 
Rapid strengthening is forecast today. Ida is expected to be an 
extremely dangerous major hurricane when it approaches the northern 
Gulf coast Sunday. Currently, hurricane-force winds extend outward up 
to 30 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend 
outward up to 125 miles. Ida is forecast to increase in size as it 
approaches the coast with the area of tropical storm force winds likely 
expanding further out to the east from the center before landfall. 
Ida will likely bring rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated 
higher amounts of 12 or more inches, especially over southeast 
Mississippi and coastal Alabama, Sunday into Monday and potentially 
extending into Tuesday. This is likely to result in flash, urban, small 
stream, and river flooding over portions of our area. 
Depending on the exact track of Ida after landfall, tropical storm 
force conditions, especially in frequent gusts, could occur over 
interior southeast Mississippi and portions of southwest and coastal 
Alabama. 
Swells will begin reaching our portion of the Gulf Coast coast this 
evening. 2 to 4 feet of coastal water rises above normally dry ground 
are expected along the beaches, sounds, and the shoreline of Mobile 
Bay. 1 to 3 feet of water rise is possible further east into the 
western Florida Panhandle. Surf heights are expected to increase to be 
between 8-12 feet tonight into Sunday. These swells are likely to cause 
life-threatening surf, wave run up, and dangerous rip currents. Waves 
and swells are likely to remain elevated into Monday and potentially 
Tuesday as strong south to southwest winds persist over the marine 
areas. 
The tornado threat will also begin to increase on Sunday across 
southeastern Mississippi, southwestern Alabama, and portions of the 
western Florida Panhandle as the outer rainbands on the east and 
northeast side of Ida move into and across the area. This tornado 
threat will likely persist and expand across much of the region into 
Sunday night and Monday. 
POTENTIAL IMPACTS 
----------------- 
 
* FLOODING RAIN: 
Prepare for life-threatening rainfall flooding having possible 
extensive impacts across southeast Mississippi as well as portions of 
southwest Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. 
Potential impacts include: 
- Major rainfall flooding may prompt many evacuations and rescues. 
- Rivers and tributaries may rapidly overflow their banks in 
multiple places. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may 
become dangerous rivers. Flood control systems and barriers may 
become stressed. 
- Flood waters can enter many structures within multiple 
communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washed 
away. Many places where flood waters may cover escape routes. 
Streets and parking lots become rivers of moving water with 
underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become dangerous. 
Many road and bridge closures with some weakened or washed out. 
Prepare for dangerous rainfall flooding having possible limited to 
significant impacts across the remainder of the local area. 
 
* WIND: 
Prepare for hazardous wind having possible limited impacts across 
portions of inland southeast Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the 
western Florida Panhandle. 
Potential impacts include: 
- Damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored 
mobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about. 
- Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or 
uprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees are 
shallow rooted. Some fences and roadway signs blown over. 
- A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within urban 
or heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving conditions on 
bridges and other elevated roadways. 
- Scattered power and communications outages. 
 
* SURGE: 
Prepare for life-threatening surge having possible significant 
impacts across coastal Alabama and adjoining Mobile Bay shoreline. 
Potential impacts in this area include: 
- Areas of inundation with storm surge flooding accentuated by 
waves. Damage to several buildings, mainly near the coast. 
- Sections of near-shore escape routes and secondary roads become 
weakened or washed out, especially in usually vulnerable low 
spots. 
- Major beach erosion with heavy surf breaching dunes. Strong and 
numerous rip currents. 
- Moderate damage to marinas, docks, boardwalks, and piers. 
Several small craft broken away from moorings, especially in 
unprotected anchorages. 
Also, prepare for locally hazardous surge having possible limited 
impacts across coastal sections of the western Florida Panhandle. 
 
* TORNADOES: 
Prepare for a tornado event having possible limited impacts across the 
entire local area (southeast Mississippi, southwest and south-central 
Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle). 
Potential impacts include: 
- The occurrence of isolated tornadoes can hinder the execution 
of emergency plans during tropical events. 
- A few places may experience tornado damage, along with power 
and communications disruptions. 
- Locations could realize roofs peeled off buildings, chimneys 
toppled, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, 
large tree tops and branches snapped off, shallow-rooted trees 
knocked over, moving vehicles blown off roads, and small boats 
pulled from moorings. 
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS 
---------------------------------- 
 
* EVACUATIONS: 
Listen to local official for recommended preparedness actions, 
including possible evacuation. If ordered to evacuate, do so 
immediately. 
 
* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION: 
Now is the time to complete all preparations to protect life and 
property in accordance with your emergency plan. Ensure you are in a 
safe location before the onset of strong winds or possible flooding. 
Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury or loss of 
life. Always heed the advice of local officials and comply with any 
orders that are issued. Remember, during the storm 9 1 1 Emergency 
Services may not be able to immediately respond if conditions are 
unsafe. This should be a big factor in your decision making. 
Keep cell phones well charged. Cell phone chargers for automobiles 
can be helpful, but be aware of your risk for deadly carbon monoxide 
poisoning if your car is left idling in a garage or other poorly 
ventilated area. 
If you are a visitor, be sure to know the name of the city or town in 
which you are staying and the name of the county or parish in which 
it resides. Listen for these locations in local news updates. Pay 
attention for instructions from local authorities. 
Rapidly rising flood waters are deadly. If you are in a flood-prone 
area, consider moving to higher ground. Never drive through a flooded 
roadway. Remember, turn around don`t drown! 
Closely monitor weather.gov, NOAA Weather radio or local news outlets 
for official storm information. Be ready to adapt to possible changes 
to the forecast. Ensure you have multiple ways to receive weather 
warnings. 
 
* ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION: 
- For the latest detailed evacuation and shelter information...please 
refer to your local emergency management agency at the phone number 
or website listed below. 
- Coastal Alabama: 
- Baldwin County: 251-972-6807 or 
www.baldwincountyal.gov/departments/EMA 
- Mobile County: 251-460-8000 or www.mcema.net 
- Northwest Florida: 
- Escambia County: 850-471-6400 or bereadyescambia.com 
- Santa Rosa County: 850-983-5360 www.santarosa.fl.gov/emergency 
- Okaloosa County: 850-651-7150 or www.co.okaloosa.fl.us/ps/home 
- For information on appropriate preparations see ready.gov 
- For additional disaster preparedness information see redcross.org