Southwest Mississippi could suffer flooding and wind gusts as high as 80 miles per hour after Hurricane Delta makes landfall on Louisiana’s coast on Friday. Weather models expect the storm to then travel along an eastward curve into the Magnolia State.
Winds gusts could reach 50 to 80 miles per hour in Adams, Amite, Franklin, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties in southwest Mississippi. Other parts of the state could experience wind gusts between 40 and 60 miles per hour.
“There’s going to be a lot of rain in Mississippi. There’s a potential for tornadoes, particularly in Hancock and Pearl River counties,” Gov. Tate Reeves said during a press conference this afternoon.
Yesterday, the governor declared a State of Emergency, saying that while forecasts do not anticipate a storm of historic proportions, the year is 2020.
“We must expect the unexpected, and we must be prepared for the worst,” Gov. Reeves said.
Forecasters anticipate storm surges of 2 to 4 feet in Hancock and Harrison counties. Delta is currently moving through the Gulf of Mexico toward Louisiana with winds as high as 115 miles per hour.
In a press statement today, the Mississippi State Department of Health urged residents to “prepare for dangerous storm conditions, including heavy rain, possibly flash flooding, high winds and possible tornadoes.”
The Clarion-Ledger has a list of storm shelters that are open for those seeking shelter ahead of Hurricane Delta’s landfall tomorrow.
MSDH recommends that families stock their homes with enough clean containers for three to five days of water, three to five days worth of non-perishable foods, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries, water-purifying supplies like chlorine or iodine tablets, prescription medicines, baby supplies (like diapers, formula and food) and personal hygiene items.
More information on creating a disaster supply kit is available online at HealthyMS.com/kit.
