‘Potentially historic’ flooding predicted from Hurricane Sally

Weather forecasters warned Tuesday that Hurricane Sally could bring “potential historic” flooding to Alabama.

The National Hurricane Center on Sunday issued a storm surge warning for both Mobile Bay and the Alabama coast, warning that affected areas could see a water surge between 6 and 9 feet.

Forecasters warned that isolated areas in the state could get up to two feet of rain, while closer to the coast, rainfall could be between eight and 16 inches, according to AL.com.

Meanwhile, the rest of the state could see up to 10 inches of rainfall, according to meteorologists. The National Weather Service’s Mobile, Ala., office warned of rising waters along the coast Monday, tweeting that residents should “expect to see similar scenes occurring along our coasts” as the hurricane nears the state Monday and Tuesday.

Waters continue to rise along the coastline this morning. Expect to see similar scenes occurring along our coasts as #Sally approaches the coastline today and tomorrow. Always remember to turn around, don’t drown! https://t.co/sxjOYzYrli

— NWS Mobile (@NWSMobile) September 14, 2020

Forecasters said the state’s southwest regions could get between 10 and 20 inches of rain. Southwest and south-central Alabama are under a flash flood watch through Thursday morning. The heaviest downpours, as well as the highest risk of flooding, are expected Tuesday and Wednesday.

“It is extremely important to stay vigilant and have an action plan in place as short term adjustments to track and intensity can still occur,” the NWS said.

President Trump called the storm “extremely dangerous” in a Tuesday tweet and urged residents of the Gulf Coast to listen to state and local officials. The hurricane is projected to make landfall near the Alabama-Mississippi border between Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.