Weakened Ida will still cause winds, rains in Biloxi

Ida has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but Mayor A.J. Holloway warns residents that winds will begin picking up around 3 this afternoon, growing to sustained winds of 40 mph from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. this evening.

“The latest I’m hearing is that this storm should go ashore at Mobile Bay around 1 a.m. this evening,” Holloway said, “and that means we’ll see between 2 and 4 inches of rain beginning this afternoon and through the evening, and tides 3 to 5 feet above normal at midnight tonight.”

Storm&Flood

Holloway, after a 10:45 briefing this morning from the city’s emergency managers, said that residents this evening should expect six to eight hours of sustained 40 mph winds to cause minor street flooding in low-lying areas and isolated power outages caused by downed power lines.

The National Weather Service — with Ida’s maximum sustained winds decreasing to near 70 mph – this morning discontinued hurricane warnings and watches for the Gulf Coast, but continued a tropical storm warning from Grand Isle, La., to Aucilla River, Fla.

“The biggest thing we’re continuing to advise is for people to continue to monitor the weather reports and to take action as necessary,” Holloway said. “Boat owners should expect higher tides and winds, and should be using this time to make sure their vessels are securely moored.”

Holloway also heard updates from key department heads during his weekly staff meeting this morning.

“Right now, the storm is forecast to take a jog to the east when it gets 100 miles off shore,” Holloway said, “but everything is contingent on that jog. We’ll still see increased rainfall and wind, and higher tides.”

Added Holloway: “Some of the things people ought to be doing is picking up loose items in their yard, things that may blow away in strong winds. They should make sure they have their storm kits are re-stocked. Those in low-lying areas needs to keep an eye out for high tides and not get stranded. Make sure your vehicles are fueled, and that you’re ready to evacuate low-lying areas on a moment’s notice.”

More storm info online

—Probability of tropical-storm-force winds: To see a National Weather Service loop that shows the chance of tropical force winds over the next 120 hours, click here.


—Coordinates:
To see the National Weather Service advisories on Ida, as well as the storm’s latest coordinates, click here.

—Online radar: To see real-time, online radar, click here. Once on the radar site, click “Loop” on the left side of the screen to see the 10 most recent images. Arrows at the top left of the page allow you to visit radar sites east and west along the Gulf Coast.

—Checklist: Know what you need in an emergency supply kit? To read about how to prepare for storms and flooding, click here.

Other news and notes

Breakfast with the Mayor: The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce has announced that its Breakfast with the Mayor scheduled for Tuesday has been canceled.

Basketball: The ninth grade basketball game between Biloxi and Harrison Central scheduled for this evening has been postponed to a date to be determined.