Sally may make landfall on MS Coast as storm gets more organized, new NHC track shows
The 10 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center shows Tropical Storm Sally making landfall on the Mississippi Gulf Coast as a strong Category 1 hurricane.
Sally’s track shifted east Sunday night after the storm slowed down, now moving northwest at 8 mph.
However, “it is too early where Sally’s center will move onshore given the uncertainty in the timing and location of Sally’s northward turn near the central Gulf Coast,” the NHC said.
Sally is gradually getting better organized. Satellite images show that deep convection has increased near the center.
The wind shear that was affecting Sally is also going away, allowing the storm to strengthen into a hurricane in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The NHC said “steady strengthening” will occur until Sally crosses the Coast in 36 to 48 hours.
A high-pressure ridge is expected to build to the north of Sally on Monday, which would cause the system to resume a west-northwest motion at a slow pace. By early Tuesday morning, the ridge is forecast to slide southeast.
“This change in the pattern should cause Sally to slow down even more and gradually turn to the north and then the northeast,” the NHC said.
The 10 p.m. track shows Sally making landfall in Hancock County on Tuesday night.
Harrison County Emergency Manager Rupert Lacy said residents should prepare to be without power for days and prepare for “extreme” high storm surge and rainfall.
The three Mississippi Coast Counties — Hancock, Harrison and Jackson — are under a hurricane warning, storm surge warning and flash flood watch.
Sally could dump up to 2 feet of rain and pack a storm surge of 7 to 11 feet in some areas of the Coast. Lacey encouraged residents to evacuate low-lying areas.
“You should not wait for orders, move to higher ground, protect life and property,” Lacy said in an email Sunday night.
Hancock County has issued a mandatory evacuation in low-lying areas.
Jackson County is now under a hurricane warning instead of a hurricane watch.
