Hurricane Sally intensifies; Gulf Coast landfall Tuesday
Ten-foot storm surge and 10 to 20 inches of rain likely
The next serious hurricane will blast wind, storm surge and flooding rainfall along the Gulf Coast Tuesday.
Hurricane Sally continues to intensify over favorably warm water and atmospheric conditions in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The storm packs 90 mph sustained winds Monday afternoon. Sally’s sustained winds are expected to reach at least 105 mph before landfall Tuesday.
NOAA’s Infrared (IR) satellite loop shows the impressive storm spinning south of the western Florida panhandle Monday afternoon.
The official National Hurricane Center storm track brings Sally ashore along the Gulf coast near the Mississippi-Alabama border Tuesday.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
NOAA’s HWRF model shows a powerfully wrapped system at landfall Tuesday afternoon.
Surge and rainfall flooding
Sally’s wind damage will be substantial. But storm surge and rainfall flooding pose an even bigger threat. Storm surge forecasts exceed 6 feet in parts of the coast.
Rainfall totals from 10 to 20-plus inches look likely.
Record Atlantic hurricane season
Sally is the 18th named storm in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. Sally is the earliest 18th named storm to form in the Atlantic, breaking the previous record by more than two weeks.
Overall metric on hurricane activity in the Atlantic this season are off the charts. By most measures, this is among the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.