Update 8/25: Tropical Storm Laura is now Hurricane Laura. It is anticipated to make landfall near the Louisiana, Texas border on Wednesday, August 26. The storm is expected to bring heavy winds and rain to Mississippi and could lead to Tornados. As the storm moves east across the country, more rains will be expected in Northwest Mississippi. Tropical Storm Marco has decreased in intensity and has moved west, and officials say it no longer poses a threat to Mississippi.
Update 8/24: The National Weather Service has downgraded Marco to a tropical storm. The storm is expected to begin impacting Mississippi's gulf counties Monday afternoon, and projected storm surges could range between 2-6 feet. Tropical Storm Laura is entering the Gulf tonight and has the potential to become a category 2 hurricane before making landfall Wednesday.
Update 8/23:The National Weather Service reports that Tropical Storm Marco has been upgraded to Hurricane Marco.
Mississippi is under a State of Emergency in preparation for two hurricanes entering the Gulf of Mexico. State officials are asking Mississippians to begin preparing for these storms and have an evacuation plan. They say shelters are limited in size, and if too many people choose to gather inshelters over evacuations, social distancing may not be possible.
Two tropical storms are expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico as early as Saturday night. Both have the potential to impact Mississippi’s Gulf Coast. Governor Tate Reeves and Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Greg Michel spoke on the twin storms at a press conference Saturday.
“Start preparing now. We don’t panic, but we do prepare. And is always the case in these things, we prepare for the worst, we pray for the best, and we expect somewhere in between,” said Governor Reeves.
Officials say Tropical Storm Marco seems to remain the smaller of the two storms and is expected to make landfall closer to Texas. Governor Reeves said the state’s gulf areas could begin to see tropical storm level winds as early as late Sunday afternoon. He said the storm may not reach hurricane status, but that could change as the storm continues further into the Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Laura is expected to make landfall in Louisiana and Mississippi will possibly be on the eastern side of the storm. Officials anticipate the storm turning into a category one hurricane, and would likely have a more direct impact on southern counties.
If these two storms come in contact with one another, MEMA Director Greg Michel said it could cause a Fujiwhara effect. If this happens, it will be the first time for this to occur in the Gulf of Mexico. Michel said this makes the storms very unpredictable. He said TS Laura could feed off the smaller TS Marco, but it is still too early to have definitive data.
Additionally, Governor Reeves said there is a high likelihood of a storm surge from these storms. He said regardless of where the storms make landfall, coastal Mississippi should expect storm surge, so boaters should secure their vessels ahead of the storms. “Our coastal regions should expect anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of rain sometime next week,” Reeves said.
The effects of the storms are anticipated to begin on Monday, and landfall is projected to be around Wednesday afternoon.
Officials say it is important for people living on the coast to plan for evacuation if necessary. Shelters will be available for those who can’t evacuate, but officials say it will be difficult to maintain social distancing aggregate settings. “We have done everything that we possibly can to ensure that Mississippians have what they need when they need it in regard to shelter space. The state of Florida is going to be working with us and helping us through setting up a non-congregate for those that might need to go to a non-congregate shelter,” said Michel. He said it will be important for residents to plan ahead and watch the weather to make a decision about evacuations.
To find your nearest shelter, visit your county’s emergency management website. Pets may not be allowed in some facilities. Officials say masks will be required at these shelters. Greg Michel said shelters will be limited to half their normal capacity, but county emergency management agencies are accommodating this by opening more shelters than usual.
COUNTY EMA SHELTER LINKS:
Jackson County
Harrison County
Hancock County
MEMA reports that the state has sufficient personal protective equipment to respond to possible emergencies. The Mississippi National Guard has been preparing for hurricane season for the past few months, said Major General Janson D. Boyles. He said units are alerted and ready to respond when necessary. Additionally, Governor Reeves says he is reaching out to the State of Florida for response assistance.
Hospitals in Mississippi have been strained for months because of high coronavirus hospitalizations, but Governor Reeves said the state can handle any catastrophe that comes. “We’ve got obviously great facilities in Gulfport Memorial as well as Singing River in Harrison and Jackson Counties, as well as the Hancock facility. And they all three have great leaders, and so I’m confident that we will be prepared for anything that comes our way,” said Reeves.