Friday in Tippah County is about four things: a flood watch that begins late tonight as the remnants of Hurricane Isaias move in, a burn ban that still holds until supervisors vote next week, Friday night football in Walnut and New Albany, and what is left of the volleyball season after Thursday’s playoff results.
Flood Watch Starts Late Tonight Through Sunday Morning
The National Weather Service in Memphis has a flood watch for Tippah, Benton and Hardeman counties running from late Friday night through 7 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. As we reported in our Tippah County flood watch story, up to 4 inches of rain is possible across the area, including Ripley, Walnut, Blue Mountain and Falkner.
Today should stay dry and warm, with a high near 88. Late tonight there is a 30% chance of showers, with a quarter to a half inch possible, but Saturday is the main event: rain and storms are forecast, some heavy, with 2 to 3 inches possible and gusts up to 40 mph. Another three-quarters of an inch to an inch is possible Saturday night. Sunday should turn partly sunny with a high near 75.
A watch means conditions favor flooding, not that it is happening. The ground is very dry after weeks of drought, so runoff may be fast and creeks and ditches could rise quickly. Clear gutters and storm drains today, bring in or tie down patio furniture, trash carts and decorations, charge your phone, and make sure you can get alerts overnight Saturday. Never drive through water covering a road. For storm background, see our earlier report on Isaias bringing Saturday rain and gusts to Tippah County. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) also pointed residents to the Mississippi Department of Transportation’s traffic app and MDOTtraffic.com for road conditions through the weekend, as covered in our MEMA Isaias preparation story.
Burn Ban Stays In Place; Supervisors Decide Oct. 15
Tippah County’s emergency burn ban remains in effect through Sunday, Oct. 18. The Board of Supervisors postponed a decision on extending it at their Oct. 5 meeting and plans to take it up Thursday, Oct. 15, when the weekend’s rainfall totals may weigh on the outcome. Until then, no outdoor burning. Questions can go to your volunteer fire department or the sheriff’s department. Our recap of the supervisors’ meeting also covers early talks about a partnership with the Lazy H dog shelter in Ripley, where no vote was taken.
The dry conditions are not just a local worry. Alcorn News reported that spot fires along Highway 30 between Paden and the Prentiss County line have been put out and the road has reopened, with no injuries or building damage reported. The cause has not been confirmed by an official agency. Alcorn County’s own emergency burn ban runs through Oct. 12.
Friday Night Football: Ripley at New Albany, Biggersville at Walnut
According to Tippah County Sports, the Ripley Tigers travel to New Albany for a 7 p.m. district game, and the Biggersville Lions visit the Walnut Wildcats at 7 p.m. Check with your school for any weather-related changes. Full schedules are at TippahSports.com.
Volleyball: Walnut Is the Last Team Standing
Walnut swept Myrtle 3-0 on Thursday night, taking the third set 25-20, and moves on to the North State finals, as we reported in Walnut Volleyball Sweeps Myrtle, Heads to North State Finals. The next match is Monday, Oct. 12, at East Union in Blue Springs; the start time had not been announced as of this morning. Ripley and Pine Grove both lost 3-0 on Thursday, to New Albany and Ingomar respectively, which leaves Walnut as the only Tippah County team still playing.
Bids, Burn Dates and Events to Mark
Tippah County is taking sealed bids to reseal 21.084 miles of county roads under State Aid Project SAP-70(20)S. Bids are due Thursday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. at the Tippah County Chancery Building, 101 East Spring Street, Ripley, as detailed in our road resealing bid notice. This is a call for bids, not a contract award.
Looking ahead, the Spirit of Ripley Pet Costume Contest is Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. at The Cut-Off, 204 S. Commerce Street. Entry is $5 and pets must be leashed. Over in Alcorn County, Alcorn News reports that the Corinth Dramatic Society’s joint Tippah-Alcorn production, A Very Mississippi Christmas, is planned for Nov. 20–22 in Ripley, with Corinth performances in early December.
More From the Network
Alcorn News also notes a planned power outage today in southern Tishomingo County near Paden, lasting up to six hours, from Tishomingo County Electric Power Association for pole replacement. DeSoto County News has the DeSoto County flood watch for Saturday’s Isaias rain, a reminder that the whole region is under the same system.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
