Sally Gaining Strength; Flooding a Serious Threat to Alabama

Tropical Storm Sally is expected to become a hurricane before it makes landfall along the Northern Gulf Coast Tuesday, likely very close to the Louisiana/Mississippi State Line. Here is the latest update from the NHC…

At 400 AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Sally was located near latitude 28.3 North, longitude 87.3 West. Sally is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph. This general motion is expected today, followed by a decrease in forward speed and a turn to the northwest tonight and a northward turn sometime on Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico today, and approach southeastern Louisiana this afternoon, and make landfall in the hurricane warning area on Tuesday. Afterward, Sally is expected to move slowly north-northeastward near the northern Gulf Coast through Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected over the next day or so, and Sally is forecast to become a hurricane by tonight, with additional strengthening possible before the center crosses the northern Gulf Coast. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure based on dropsonde data from the NOAA Hurricane Hunters is 996 mb (29.42 inches).

For us in Alabama, we remain on the “Wet Side” of the storm, and as Sally tracks across the state through midweek, we are in store for impacts here. Torrential tropical downpours, which will lead to flooding and flash flooding, gusty winds, and the threat for isolated, quick, spin-up tornadoes, which are common with any land-falling tropical system

Much of Alabama is currently under a Flash Flood Watch through Thursday morning.

Rainfall totals of 3-6 inches are expected to be common across the state, with isolated higher amounts possible. Model output below agrees with this statement and exact rainfall totals will vary greatly across the state, it all depends on the track of the storm, and where those rain bands set up. Expect flash flooding issues and river flood issues in the days ahead.

Wednesday and Thursday is when we should feel the greatest impacts from Sally in Central Alabama with periods of rain, gusty winds, and isolated tornadoes. Below is the severe weather risk for Wednesday, and you can see all of South/Central Alabama is under the “marginal risk” for this threat of tornadoes. These will be very short-lived, spin-up ones, but are dangerous.

A lot can and will change with the forecast, but expect a wet and stormy week of weather, especially Tuesday through Thursday, and the potential for serious flooding across the state. Stay informed and safe, and download the Alabama News Network Weather App.

Good news, Sally will be out of here by the weekend, and a very nice weekend of weather is expected with plenty of sunshine, lower humidity levels, highs in the low 80s and lows well down into the 60s. Certainly a hint of fall in the air this weekend.

Stay tuned for future forecast updates!!!
Ryan