A tornado watch is in effect until 6 o’clock this evening for Biloxi and the surrounding area as intermittent thundershowers and gusty winds of around 20 mph will continue throughout the day.
Blame it all on Tropical Storm Harvey, the slow-moving disturbance that has caused historic flooding in Texas and is now making its way northwestward, on a diagonal path across central Mississippi. A tornado watch means conditions are favorable for a severe thunderstorm or tornado. A warning, on the other hand, means the threat is imminent.
“With these torrential thunderstorms today and the gusty wind, we’re reminding people that conditions can deteriorate rapidly,” said Biloxi Emergency Manager Michelle Crowley. “Although rainfall amounts are between a quarter- and half-inch possible, intermittent heavy thunderstorms could be heavier in isolated areas”
Tonight the chance of showers and thunderstorms is 60 percent, however, Crowley added, South winds will continue to hold steady at 20 mph. The winds will continue into Thursday as well.
All roads in Biloxi, except for at the Cedar Lake bridge, remain open and passable this afternoon, Crowley said, but Biloxi and the surrounding area remain under a Coastal flood advisory until Thursday at 7 p.m., and Biloxi River is under a flood warning until Friday. A flash flood watch remains in effect until Thursday at 7 a.m.
Added Crowley: “Remember to check your emergency supplies for food and water, and restock as necessary. As our community remembers the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and continues to watch and assist with the rescue and recovery efforts from Hurricane Harvey in the Louisiana and Texas area, we must stay vigilant and review our storm plans. Do you know where you will go in the event of an evacuation order? Do you have provisions for each family member? Do you have materials to secure your home prior to evacuating?”
See the extended forecast and weather advisories
See Harvey in real-time radar
All lanes open at Pass and Eisenhower
Motorists traveling Pass Road near Eisenhower Drive are able to use all lanes of traffic now that the city’s Public Works Department has patched a pothole that for weeks had closed the righthand westbound lane and bottlenecked traffic each afternoon.
“We certainly would have liked to have patched it sooner,” said Public Works Director Billy Ray Allen, “but we had to wait on a contractor to video the line so we could determine the extent of the repairs. Once the video work was done, we immediately paved it, Tuesday night, in fact, ahead of the rain.”
The pothole was caused by a leak atop a junction box, an underground concrete structure where large drainage pipes meet. The Pass Road site includes a 48-inch drainage line. A leak at the top of the box, which is about three feet underground, caused a void that led to the pothole.
“Once this rain event is over and we get some clear weather, we’re going to make permanent repairs,” Allen said. “The job will take two to three days, once we get some clear weather, but all lanes will remain open in the meantime.”
See the status of roadwork citywide
See the East Biloxi video update
News and notes
No Labor Day garbage service: The Harrison County Utility Authority, the firm responsible for garbage, trash and recycling pickups, says service will be skipped on the Labor Day holiday and will resume at the next scheduled pickup day. Questions? Call HCUA at (228) 868-8752.
Band on the run: A team of Biloxi Fire Department probationary firefighters, in between the gusty winds and intermittent rainfall this morning, jogged along the beachfront as part of their daily physical-fitness regimen. To see video, from the Biloxi Fire Department Facebook page, click here.
Opening reception No. 1: The Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art will host an opening reception for two new exhibits, “Cars in Art-II” and “Cycles: The Art of Steve Prince”, on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Both exhibits are currently on display at the museum and run through most of October. For more information, call the museum at 228-374-5547.
Opening reception No. 2: An opening reception for the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum’s newest exhibit, “Bobby Goldsmith, Adventures in Graphite”, will be held at the museum on Thursday, Sept. 28 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The exhibit, which includes landscape and portraiture artwork, will be on display though the end of the year. For more information, call the museum at 228-435-6320.
