Alabama officials, including members of Alabama’s congressional delegation, urged residents Thursday to prepare for Hurricane Isaias. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and the threat of tornadoes to the state, prompting a state of emergency for 40 counties in south and central Alabama. This declaration includes Wiregrass counties such as Houston, Dale, Coffee, Covington, Geneva, and Henry. State offices in these Wiregrass counties, along with Baldwin, Escambia, and Mobile counties, are scheduled to close at noon on Friday.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for visitors south of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway on Dauphin Island in Mobile County, and for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Baldwin County, as ordered by Gov. Kay Ivey on Thursday. Additionally, mandatory evacuation orders are in place for the west end of Dauphin Island in Mobile County. Voluntary evacuations were set for Baldwin County residents in flood-prone or low-lying areas. Governor Ivey stated in a message, "Hope for the best. Prepare for the worst." She emphasized this as the necessary approach for this storm system.
As of Thursday morning, Isaias was classified as a Category 1 hurricane by the National Weather Service in Birmingham, situated off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and described as a fast-moving system headed northeast. Jason Holmes, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Birmingham, reported that the latest forecast indicates Isaias is expected to remain a hurricane as it approaches the Alabama and west Florida portions of the central Gulf Coast on Friday, with an anticipated landfall Friday night and into Saturday. The storm is expected to downgrade to a tropical storm with winds exceeding 39 mph when it reaches central Alabama, traveling west of Selma. By later Saturday, the weather system is projected to be in northwest Alabama, in the Florence and Muscle Shoals area, before moving into Tennessee Saturday evening and Sunday. Holmes explained that a tornado risk is generally associated with the east side of tropical systems making landfall. He added that the storm's projected track into the western part of the state would place much of central and eastern Alabama at risk for tornado activity within those bands.
Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed and U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures (D-Mobile) urged residents during a news conference to not only gather supplies and fully charge cell phones but also to closely monitor city and county notices. Mayor Reed emphasized that every household requires multiple methods to receive emergency warnings, directing people to enable cell phone weather alerts and continuously monitor television and radio for updates. Both Reed and Figures recommended limiting driving, checking on older adults who may need assistance receiving emergency notifications, and ensuring an emergency plan is understood by all household members. Montgomery Emergency Management Agency Director Wade Lyles confirmed the city is opening a tornado shelter at 360 Williams Drive, though the specific opening time was not yet clear.
U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures stated that his office has prewritten a declaration disaster request, to be used if needed after assessing storm damage. Figures cautioned everyone to prioritize safety, describing the approaching storm as a Category 2 hurricane that would bring wind, rain, and the potential for flooding and tornadoes.
In related news, the University of Alabama issued a statement Thursday afternoon confirming that Saturday evening’s football game against Georgia was still scheduled. However, the university will only allow uncovered tailgating after noon on Saturday and has moved ESPN’s “College Game Day” into Coleman Coliseum. President Donald Trump is expected to attend the game.
