3 p.m. update: High winds expected; shelters opening
Published 3:27 pm Saturday, October 7, 2017
- There is a moderate threat of tropical winds in Escambia County.
Escambia County, Ala., has a 60 to 80 percent chance of experiencing tropical storm conditions, county EMA director David Adams said in his 3 p.m. update Saturday. Shelters are being opened in the county at 4 p.m.
Nate is moving quickly across the Gulf, and is expected to be a Category 2 storm when it comes ashore late tonight or early Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest update. The storm is currently forecast to make landfall along the Mississippi coast tonight. Currently Hurricane Nate has sustained winds of 90 mph and is moving to the north-northwest at 25 mph. Tropical storm force winds extend outward several miles, Adams said.
Hurricane warnings stretch along the coast from Alabama to Louisiana, and tropical storm warnings extend far inland into central Alabama.
National Hurricane Center forecasts show a moderate chance of tropical storm winds in Escambia County. There also is a chance of flash flooding, as more than three inches of rain are expected.
The storm will be quick moving, with conditions likely improving by late Sunday morning/early Sunday afternoon.
Local shelters of last resort will be opened at 4 p.m. today at:
- Rachel Patterson Elementary School
- New Beginnings Worship Center
Evacuees should take any needed bedding (blankets, pillows, etc.), food, snacks, drinks, medications (must be self-administered), and items to occupy children (i.e. coloring books, reading books, small games, etc.). These are not medical needs shelters and medical personnel will not be on site.
