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Hurricane Center warns of ‘catastrophic flooding’ as Tropical Storm Sally lumbers inland

Hurricane Sally brought high winds, heavy rain and flooding to the Gulf Coast on Sept. 16. (Video: The Washington Post)
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September 16, 2020 at 5:56 p.m. EDT
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After two days spent spinning less than 150 miles off the coast of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, Sally finally made its move to come ashore Wednesday morning, unleashing up to 30 inches of rain, 100 mph wind gusts and a six-foot storm surge.

Areas in coastal Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle were hardest hit. By Wednesday evening, the worst weather had departed these areas, but flooding rain had spread inland over eastern Alabama and southwest Georgia.

The National Hurricane Center warned that “historic and catastrophic flooding, including widespread moderate to major river flooding” was continuing to unfold.

As Sally made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane near Gulf Shores, Ala., at 5:45 a.m., fierce winds cut power to more than 500,000 customers in Alabama and Florida. Its surge inundated Pensacola in nearly six feet of water, the third-highest level on record.  

Here are some significant developments:

  • On Wednesday evening, heavy rain had exited the hard-hit zone stretching between Pensacola and Mobile, but severe flooding continued in some areas because of rising rivers. The most intense rain was focused inland in southeastern Alabama and southwest Georgia, with flood warnings expanding into this area.
  • Into Thursday, the Hurricane Center expected significant flooding in inland portions of eastern Alabama and central Georgia. Thursday into Friday, heavy rain and flooding was forecast to spread from western South Carolina through much of North Carolina and into southeast Virginia.
  • At 5 p.m., the storm’s peak winds were near 60 mph as it headed northeast at 7 mph. It was forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday morning.
  • A tornado watch was in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday for southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and southwestern Georgia.
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Here's what to know:

On Wednesday evening, heavy rain had exited the hard-hit zone stretching between Pensacola and Mobile, but severe flooding continued in some areas because of rising rivers. The most intense rain was focused inland in southeastern Alabama and southwest Georgia, with flood warnings expanding into this area.
Into Thursday, the Hurricane Center expected significant flooding in inland portions of eastern Alabama and central Georgia. Thursday into Friday, heavy rain and flooding was forecast to spread from western South Carolina through much of North Carolina and into southeast Virginia.
At 5 p.m., the storm’s peak winds were near 60 mph as it headed northeast at 7 mph. It was forecast to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday morning.
A tornado watch was in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday for southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and southwestern Georgia.

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