By Staff
Storm pounds Atmore Sunday
by Julie Russell
Hurricane Dennis ripped through Atmore Sunday with the strongest part of the storm passing through at around 3:30 p.m. The storm packed wind gusts as high as 80 miles per hour, dumped between six and eight inches of rain on the Atmore area, and included at least one tornado, spotted near the Poarch Creek Indian Reservation.
Dennis made landfall just west of Navarre in Santa Rosa County, Fla., and continued on a northwesterly path through Pensacola, Century, Flomaton and Atmore.
The storm caused heavy damage to portions of Atmore, knocking out power throughout the majority of the city. The area around Lindberg Ave., E. Craig St., E. Horner Ave., and E. Nashville Ave. appear to have taken the brunt of the storm, but significant damage was also present on North Main St. and throughout Jack Springs Rd.
Don Faulkner, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said that Atmore suffered the brunt of the storm, and was hit worse than any other city away from the coastline.
Faulkner was relieved that the storm was, comparatively, more tame than Hurricane Ivan. Faulkner explained that Hurricane Dennis did not affect as big of an area as Hurricane Ivan did in September of last year because there were not as many trees and Dennis was in more of a concentrated area, while Ivan was more spread out.
Several Atmore residents expressed frustration with having to deal with another hurricane.
Hurricane season began June 1 and ends November 1. Dennis, a Category 3 hurricane when it hit shore, is purportedly the strongest storm ever to come through the area so early in the season.
Already, the next hurricane is brewing in the Caribbean. Faulkner explained that it is "still a little early to try to make any predictions," but that it will be closely watched for further developments.
The Advance will closely monitor the coming storm and provide up-to-date information should it threaten our area.
Tim Cottrell and Adam Prestridge contributed to this story.