Hurricane Watch issued from Bay St. Louis to Indian Pass as Tropical Storm Isaias strengthens

A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to Indian Pass, Florida, as Tropical Storm Isaias strengthened to maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 4 p.m. advisory.

The advisory said Isaias was moving east-northeast at about 8 mph and is expected to turn toward the northeast and then north Thursday into Friday before making landfall along the northern Gulf Coast late Friday or early Saturday.

A Storm Surge Watch extends from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Yankeetown, Florida. The National Hurricane Center warned storm surge is a major concern along the coast and said the latest forecast calls for the potential of 5 to 7 feet of water above ground from Ocean Springs to the Alabama state line if the peak surge occurs around high tide. From Bay St. Louis to Ocean Springs, 3 to 5 feet of storm surge is possible.

The advisory noted that these watches do not mean impacts are guaranteed, only that conditions could become dangerous and preparations should be underway. Forecasters said rainfall will depend on Isaias’s eventual track; the heaviest rain threat is most likely to the east if the storm stays east, but any wobble westward could increase rainfall across parts of South Mississippi.

Areas that receive the heaviest rain could see flash flooding, urban flooding and some river flooding, with low-lying areas and locations with poor drainage especially vulnerable, the advisory said.

Source: WXXV News 25WXXV News 25