The National Weather Service is warning of a risk of heavy rainfall across south Mississippi through tonight. They issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook, a Coastal Flood Advisory, and, for a period earlier this morning, a tornado watch was in effect.
Forecasters say the wet conditions — 2 to 4-inch rainfall totals expected – will continue through mid-day Saturday. A Flash Flood Watch will remain in effect for all of southeast Louisiana and south Mississippi through midday Saturday, and small craft advisories are expected to remain over Gulf waters as well as the Mississippi and Louisiana sounds through midday Saturday.
“We’re asking people to continue to monitor weather reports closely,” said Nicholaus Geiser, the city’s emergency manager. “Expect to see ponding water on roadways, so drive accordingly. Give yourself plenty of time and take your time. Be aware.”
See current conditions, forecast and advisories
See the real-time radar
Openings, closings for White Avenue, Forrest gates
Keesler has announced that its main gate at White Avenue will be open to traffic beginning Monday, and motorists who use the Forrest Avenue gate at Meadows Drive will face a detour that is expected to last a month.
Forrest Avenue will be closed from Meadows to Bayview as city contractors install new water, sewer and drainage lines in one of the last major undertakings of the “north contract.”
During the Forrest Avenue work, which Oscar Renda Contracting says will take about a month, those using the Forrest Avenue gate should instead use Porter Avenue, to Park Court South to Forrest Avenue to access the Keesler gate.
Forrest Avenue at Division Street, of course, remains closed as contractors work to install a new main gate for Keesler.
Meanwhile, Keesler has announced that the White Avenue gate, which was closed for several weeks, will re-open to Keesler traffic Monday morning. The White Avenue gate had been closed while Hemphill Construction installed new infrastructure in areas south of the CSX railway. Hemphill has had two lanes of the four-lane roadway open since Cruisin’ the Coast and plans to keep at least two lanes open until the project’s scheduled end in March 2020.
See the Forrest Avenue detour
Video: See the latest new infrastructure update and detailed maps
See status of road work citywide
News & notes: Weekend, photos, podcast, and more
Weekend happenings: The Biloxi Parks & Recreation Department will host its annual Special Needs Halloween Costume Ball tonight at the Donal M. Snyder Sr. Community Center but has canceled its Clean Up Park Day 2019 set for Saturday at Hiller Park. Elsewhere, Tired Dog Rescue will host its annual Howloween Pet Party at the Point Cadet Plaza and, over at the casinos, Clint Black will be at the IP and Air Supply will perform at the Beau.
Halloween spectacular: The City of Biloxi and Harrison County hosted the sixth annual Halloween Spectacular for seniors on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019 at the Biloxi Civic Center. To see images from the Disney Villains-themed event, click here.
Hizzoner on the beach: Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich visits the City Desk podcast this week to discuss Gov. Phil Bryant’s latest visit to Biloxi, which was to dedicate the first of the new “waves” on East Beach. To listen to the 18-minute program, recorded this morning at City Hall, click here.
Pinning ceremony: The Biloxi Fire Department conducted a Pinning Ceremony this week in recognition of three promotions: Battalion Chief Jason E. Davis, Capt. Joseph Bates and Capt. Mathew Bigelow. To visit the Biloxi Fire Department Facebook page, where you can see photos from the ceremony, click here.
Big money: Biloxi First, the non-profit that helps fund classroom projects in Biloxi Public Schools, announced a huge grant Thursday night during its roast of City Councilman and former school leader Paul A. Tisdale. The group, which was marking its 30th anniversary during the evening, presented $100,000 to Biloxi Public Schools to buy dozens of Promethean boards, interactive whiteboards that can project an image from a laptop or computer. To see images from the Tisdale roast, click here.
Fill the boot: The Biloxi Fire Department and Biloxi Fire Fighters Local 1583 will hit the streets with boots in hand seeking donations for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Firefighters will be at three intersections on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings and afternoons: Porter Avenue at U.S. 90, Popp’s Ferry at Pass Road and Cedar Lake at Popp’s Ferry. Last year, Biloxi firefighters raised $13,000 for MDA.
