Rains of over 15 inches could occur in southern Alabama as slow-moving Hurricane Sally moves onshore, most likely early Wednesday near the MS-AL border. A wide band of rainfall of 6-10 inches is currently predicted to stretch north through central Alabama and on into northern Georgia, the South Carolina highlands, and parts of western North Carolina. Flash flooding is likely to occur in the areas with the highest precipitation amounts.
Strong and gusty winds will also occur throughout the region as the storm moves through, although wind speeds will gradually die down as the storm moves inland. The strongest winds are likely to start along the Alabama coast on Tuesday morning and on Wednesday morning in western Georgia, although they could start earlier if the storm moves faster or is stronger than is predicted. The center of circulation is expected to move through central Georgia Thursday night through Friday, but the cone of uncertainty covers the entire state so all parts of Georgia should be prepared. The wettest conditions and strongest winds are likely to be ahead of the passage of the storm center on Wednesday and Thursday.
The forecasts are continuing to evolve, and that may result in shifts in the bands of heaviest wind and rain, so keep monitoring the updated forecasts for the latest predictions at https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?start#contents. If you are in areas close to the coast or in low-lying areas prone to flooding, be prepared to evacuate if necessary. Know your evacuation routes in advance. Move equipment and livestock out of low-lying areas and determine where to stage feed if roads are cut off by the floodwater. Trees will easily be blown down in the strong winds and saturated soils, which could result in damaged fences and buildings and power outages that could last for a week or more in some locations.
