As Tropical Storm Lee crept along the Gulf Coast today, emergency crews across southwest Alabama prepared for a deluge to come, and warned of sporadic bursts of tornadoes.
"They don’t last long, they’re very brief, but they do occur with very little advanced warning," National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Garmon said of the tornadoes spinning off bands of heavy rain. "They can do damage."
The storm knocked out power to nearly 500 customers in Mobile and Baldwin counties, as heavy rain and strong wind gusts drenched south Mississippi and Louisiana.
The National Weather Service predicted Lee could dump more than a foot of rain in some areas of the northern Gulf Coast.
The center of the slow-moving storm lurched over Lafayette, Louisiana, this afternoon, headed north at about 4 mph in the late afternoon.
Its maximum sustained winds were 60 mph, but their intensity was expected to decrease by Sunday. Tropical storm warnings stretched from the Louisiana-Texas state line to Destin, Fla.
In Alabama, the most rain was expected to fall Sunday and Monday.
Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency Director John Perrett said he was monitoring areas most prone to flooding, like Styx River and Fish River.
Throughout the day, intermittent bands of heavy rain mixed with dry patches, allowing water to run off roads.
Mobile and Baldwin counties could experience up to 15 inches of rain Sunday, Garmon said.
In neighboring Mississippi, as much as 10 inches had fallen around Pascagoula, Garmon said.
Fish River-Marlow Fire Rescue Chief Gib Hixon expected flooding Monday, after the heaviest rains wash over the Baldwin community that sits between Summerdale and Point Clear.
"We have to go on and prepare for the worst, hope for the best," Hixon said. "But I am concerned. I’m real concerned that people are not paying attention to this storm. I don’t see a lot of my neighbors getting ready, even though we’ve told them and told them. ... We are definitely under a threat, and we definitely can’t ignore it.
Bayou La Batre police urged motorists to avoid the following roads because of flooding: Shell Belt Road, Hemley Street near Tapia Avenue, First Avenue, Molette Street, Alba Avenue, Mars Avenue, Lottie Avenue and Little River Road at Powell Avenue.
There were no major road closures reported Saturday in Baldwin County.
Power was briefly out in some areas of downtown Mobile, west Mobile, Saraland, Theodore, Bayou La Batre, Atmore and Jackson, according to Alabama Power spokeswoman Beth Thomas.
Only a few scattered outages were reported in Baldwin County, according to Riviera Utilities spokesman David Horton. Those were caused by fallen tree limbs, he said.
Orange Beach’s Emergency Management Director Landon Smith said double red flags were flown at the beach, indicating that the water was closed to the public. Meanwhile, the streets remained open, despite a few puddles on the roadways.
A series of rock concerts scheduled for The Wharf Amphitheater through the holiday weekend were postponed because of the storm.
Weather conditions were similar in neighboring Gulf Shores, where Public Works Director Mark Acreman warned drivers to "be careful and slow down, especially when it gets dark."
He had crews checking road conditions night and day.
"We’ve got all of our protective measures on the ready, so if we need to deploy we can," Acreman said.
Outdoor music slated for The Hangout this weekend was moved indoors.
On Dauphin Island, Mayor Jeff Collier kept an eye on the roads and the flood-susceptible west end.
"We need the rain. We don’t need it on a holiday weekend," he said. "But I can’t control that. If all we’ve got to worry about is flooding and tidal ups and downs, that’s a good scenario."
Mobile County EMA Director Ronnie Adair remained optimistic that the storm would cause little harm, though he urged residents to be aware of their surroundings.
"We’ll make up for our drought, and we won’t have damage out of it," he said.
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