Local online newspaper for North Escambia County Florida, Pensacola, Walnut Hill, Bratt, McDavid, Molino, Century, Cantonment, Atmore, Flomaton, News

September 16, 2020
500 AM CDT Wed Sep 16 2020
…THE CENTER OF THE EYE OF CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE SALLY MAKESLANDFALL NEAR GULF SHORES ALABAMA……CATASTROPHIC AND LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING LIKELY ALONGPORTIONS OF THE NORTH-CENTRAL GULF COAST…
At approximately 445 AM CDT…0945 UTC…the center of HurricaneSally’s eye made landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 2hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and aminimum central pressure of 965 mb (28.50 inches).
4  AM UPDATE: HURRICANE SALLY  A CATEGORY 2 STORM WITH 105 MPH WINDS
SPECIAL STATEMENT
LOCATION…30.1N 87.7WABOUT 40 MI…65 KM SW OF PENSACOLA FLORIDAMAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…105 MPH…165 KM/H
At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of the eye of Hurricane Sallywas located an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft and NOAADoppler weather radars near latitude 30.1 North, longitude 87.7West. Sally is moving toward the north-northeast near 3 mph (6km/h). A north-northeastward to northeastward motion at a slightlyfaster forward speed is expected later today and tonight, followedby a faster northeastward motion on Thursday. On the forecasttrack, the center of Sally will approach the northern Gulf Coastthis morning, and make landfall in the hurricane warning area latertoday. Sally is then expected to move inland across southeasternAlabama tonight.
Recent data from An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft andthe Mobile Alabama Doppler weather radar indicate that maximumsustained winds are near 105 mph (165 km/h) with higher gusts.Some slight increase in strength is possible before the center ofSally’s eye makes landfall later this morning. Rapid weakening isexpected after landfall occurs.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from thecenter and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles(205 km). A sustained wind of 98 mph (157 km/h) and a gust to 116mph (187 km/h) were recently measured by an elevated NOS CO-OPobserving station in Fort Morgan, Alabama. A University ofFlorida weather tower located at Gulf Shores, Alabama, reported asustained wind speed of 75 mph (121 km/h) and a gust to 93 mph(150 km/h). NOAA buoy 42012, located about 50 miles southeast ofMobile, Alabama, recently reported a sustained wind of 71 mph (115km/h) and a pressure of 970.9 mb inside the eastern portion ofSally’s eye.
RAINFALL: Through this afternoon, Sally will produce additionalrainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches with localized higher amountspossible along and just inland of the central Gulf Coast from westof Tallahassee, Florida to Mobile Bay, Alabama. Storm totals of 10to 20 inches to isolated amounts of 35 inches is expected. Historicand catastrophic flooding is unfolding. In addition, this rainfallwill lead to widespread moderate to major river flooding.
WIND: Hurricane conditions are spreading onshore within thehurricane warning area in Florida and Alabama. Tropical stormconditions will continue in portions of the warning areas throughtonight.
TORNADOES: A few tornadoes may occur today and tonight acrossportions of the Florida Panhandle, southern Alabama, andsouthwestern Georgia.
NorthEscambia.com will update this story, and the graphics on this page will continually update with the latest information from the National Hurricane Center.
The latest specific information is in the graphics on this page.
.
Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under TOP STORIES