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Friday, March 29, 2024

Mississippi may 'bear the brunt of this storm,' governor says

Credit: WAPT
Duration: 13:28s 0 shares 3 views

Mississippi may 'bear the brunt of this storm,' governor says
Mississippi may 'bear the brunt of this storm,' governor says

Gov.

Tate Reeves and emergency officials are urging Mississippi residents to prepare for Sally, which is threatening to produce a dangerous storm surge and flooding.

GOT INTO THE GULF A LOT COULDCHANGE AND AS IS OFTEN THE CASEOVER THE LAST 18 HOURS A LOT HASCHANGED.WE SPOKE YESTERDAY.ABOUT THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIOBEING THAT THIS STORM HITLANDFALL AROUND PORT, SULPHUR,LOUISIANA.AT THIS POINT WE SEE THIS STORMIS CURRENTLY APPROXIMATELY 200MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS.IT HAS SLOWED CONSIDERABLY FROMAPPROXIMATELY MOVING AT 12 MILESAN HOUR TO CLOSER TO EIGHT MILESAN HOUR.AND THEREFORE AT THIS TIME THECOURSE OF THE STORM HAS OR THEPROJECTION OF THE COURSE OF THESTORM HAS TICK TO THE EAS WHICHWOULD HAVE LANDFALL OF A HIGHCATEGORY 1?HURRICANE SALL SUSTAINED WINDSBETWEEN 85 A 90 MILES AN HOURHITTING, BILOXI, MISSISSIP ISTHE LATEST PROJECTIONS THINGSARE CONTINUING TO CHANGEOBVIOUSLY WITH THE SLOWING OFTHE STORM THAT IS CONCERNING THELONGER AND IT STAYS OUT IN THEGULF OF MEXICO THE MORE ANDHIGHER THE LIKELIHOOD IS THAT ITCONTINUES TO GROW IN SIZE ANDSCOPE AND SEVERITY.BUT AS I CURRENTLY EXISTS, ITIS ANTICIPATED THAT IT WILL HITLANDFALL AT 2:00 A.M WEDNESDAYMORNING RIGHT AROUND BILOXI,MISSISSIPPI.THE STORM SURGE PROJECTIONSCONTINUE TO BE WORRISOME WITHANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO EIGHT FEETOVERALL COAST SURGE IN HANCOCKCOUNTY.THAT COULD BE GREATER THAN 9FEET IN HARRISON COUNTY THATCOULD BE GREATER THAN 6 FEET ANDA CURRENT PROJECTIONS ARE INJACKSON COUNTY THAT STORM SURGECOULD EXCEED 3 FEET.MUCH OF THE LARGEST STORM SURGE.THAT WE ARE ANTICIPATING ANTHIS IS NOT UNUSUAL IS IN THETRIBUTARIES THAT ARE LEADINGINTO THE GULF THOSE THAT FEEDINTO THE BAY OF ST.LOUIS BILOXI BAY AND OF COURSETHE PASCAGOULA RIVER, SO IF YOULIVE UP RIVER, IT IS LIKELY THATWE’RE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANTWATER SITUATION.WE ARE CONTINUING TO BE VERYCONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OFPOTENTIAL RAINFALL WE MENTIONEDYESTERDAY THAT THERE WAS THEPOTENTIAL OF 15 TO 20 INCHES OFRAIN IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIMEAT THIS POINT, IT IS ANTICIPATEDTHAT WE COULD EXCEED 20 INCHESRAINFALL ON THE COASTLINEPARTICULARLY IN HARRISON ANDJACKSON COUNTI BUT WE COULDSEE AS MUCH AS 15 INCHES OF RAININ A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIMEIN HANCOCK PEARL RIVER STONE,pMOAND MOST OF GEORGE COUNTY AS ITCURRENTLY IS PROJECTED.THE STORM WOULD ENTERED INBILOXI IT WOULD CONTINUE T BEPROJECTED TO SHIFT TO THE EASTON IT HITS LAND FALL AND WOULDLIKELY BE OUT OF OUR STATESOMETIMES FAIRLY AFTER HITTINGLANDFALL.BUT EVEN SO WE ARE EXPECTINGSIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RAIN ASMUCH AS 10 INCHES OR MORE INPERL RIVER STONE GREEN PERRYFOREST AND WAYNE COUNTIES.AS MUCH AS 6 PLUS INCHES OF RAININ LAMAR FOREST JONES WAYNEJASPER AND CLARK.AND IN EXCESS OF FOUR INCHES OFRAIN.IN MARION AND KEMPER COUNTY.SO REGARDLESS OF THIS PARTICULAREVENT.WE ARE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANTRAINFALL WHICH LEADS TOSIGNIFICANT WATER CHALLENGES.WE DO HAVE HURRICANE WARNINGSHURRICANE WATCHES IN EFFECTHANCOCK HARRISON PEARL PEARLRIVER AND JACKSON HURRICANEWARNING.WE ALSO HAVE TROPICAL STORMWARNINGS AND WATCHES IN EFFECTIN MANY OF THOSE COUNTIES THAT IJUST MENTIONED A SO AGAINWHILE THIS STORM HAS TICK TO THEEA OVERNIGHT IT IS STILLANTICIPATED THAT WE ARE GOING TOBEAR THE BRUNT OF THIS STORM.IT IS POSSIBLE THAT OVE THENEXT SEVERAL HOURS THAT THINGSWILL CHANGE AND AS THEY DO WWILL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU THEPUBLIC BUT FOR NOW IF YOU ARESOUTH OF JACKS IN PARTICULARIF YOU ARE SOUTH OF HATTIESBURGPREPARE NOW NOW IS THE TIME TOPREPARE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THEWEATHER BUT BE PREPARED FOR THEWORST-CASE SCENARIO BECAUSE WITHTHIS STORM SLOWING FROM 12 TO 8MILES AN HOUR IT COULD GET WORSEBEFORE IT GETS BETTER.WE’ JUST HAVE TO SEE I HAVEMET THIS MORNING WITH OUR TEAM.OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE BEHIND MEDIRECTOR, MICHELLE AND GENERALBOWLS OF MEMA AND THE NATIONALGUARD.I’LL GIVE BOTH OF THEM THEOPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU ANUPDATE ON ON OUR PLANNING JUST ACOUPLE OF THINGS THAT I WILLMENTION.I ALSO MET WITH.DR. DOBBS EARLIER THIS MORNING.I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THATSOMETIME WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLEOF HOURS.WE WILL HAVE WE WILL HAVESTAFFING AT THE MEDICAL NEEDSSHELTER IN STONE COUNTY.THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RUNSTHAT FACILITY WAS BUILTPOST-HURRICANE KATRINA THAT’SGOING TO PROVIDE SHELTER FORTHOSE THAT HAVE SPECIAL MEDICALCONDITIONS.THEY DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF THEDEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WILL DO AGREAT JOB DOING THAT AND I’MVERY CONFIDENT OF THAT.I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THERE HASBEEN SOME TALK.ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHERWISETHAT THE GAS STATIONS ON THEMISSISSIPPI GULF COAST HAVE RUNOUT OF FUEL.CALM DOWN THAT IS NOT THE CASE.THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL GASSTATIONS THAT BECAUSE OF A SURGEIN DEMAND HAVE RUN OUT OF FUEL,BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT ALLTERMINALS ARE CURRENTLYFUNCTIONING.THERE ARE REFUELING TANKS THATARE IN ROUTE TO THOSE FUELINGSTATIO THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLYABLE TO GET GASOLINE, BUT THEREARE PLENTY OF SERVICE STATIONSOF GAS STATIONS ALONG THE GULFCOAST THAT DO HAVE FUEL ANDTHOSE THAT DO NOT WILL BE LOADIN THE COMING HOURS.THAT IS NOT A MAJOR RISK AT THISTIME OF A CERTAINLY SOMETHINGTHAT WE ARE MONITORING.BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TODIRECTOR MICHELLE.I DO JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THATWE ARE REPORTING 145 NEW CASESOF COVID PLANNING FOR A CAT 1 ORCAT TO HURRICANE IS ALWAYSCOMPLICATED PLANNING FOR IT.DEERING 2020 IN THE LIFE OF.COVID MES IT EVEN MORECHALLENGING I DID SPEAK WITHGOVERNOR JOHN BEL EDWAR ALITTLE EARLIER THIS MORNING OFTHE STATE OF LOUISIANA AS YOUALL KNOW, WE WORK VERY CLOSELYTO HELP THEM DURING HURRICANELAURA AND WITH THIS STORMTICKING MORE AND MORE TO THEEAST HE OFFERED THE SAME HELPFOR US AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WECAN LEARN FROM THE STATE OFLOUISIANA’S THE LESSONS LEARNEDFROM SHELTERING AND THINGS SUCHAS THAT IN A VERY CHALLENGINGENVIRONMENT OF COVID.WE KNOW THAT TROPICAL STORM.SALLY IS LIKELY TO BECOMEHURRICANE SALLY AND THAT’S GOINGTO CREATE A CHALLENGE BUT BUTWITH RESPECT TO COVID-19.WE DO HAVE A HUNDRED AND FORTYFIVE NEW CASES REPORTED TODAY.WE HAVE UNFORTUNATELY NINE NEWFATALITIES, BUT ALL NINE OFTHOSE NEW FATALITIES AREACTUALLY FROM VITAL RECORDS.AND SO WE HAVE FOR THE FIRSTTIME IN MANY MANY MANY MONTHSTAKING OUR 7-DAY AVERAGE OF NEWCASES OF COVID BELOW 3000ACCORDING TO THE HOUSE.WE ARE NO LONGER IN THE REDZONE.OF COVID-19 IN MISSISSIPPI,WHICIS SEVEN DAY PERIOD OF ATLEAST 100 CASES PER 100,000 THATIS A POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT, BUTTHAT IS BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTSOF THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE YOUHAVE STEPPED UP AND YOU’VE MADEA DIFFERENCE AND THE ONLY THINGI WANT TO POINT OUT WITH RESPECTTO THE CORONAVIRUS IS I SIMPLYWANT EVERYONE TO UNDERSTAND THATNOW IS NOT THE TIME TO LET YOURGUARD DOWN THE HURRICANE ISGOING BE A CHALLENGE.WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE.YOU TO WORK THROUGH IT, BUT WEWANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO WEARYOUR MASK.WE WON’T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TOSOCIALLY DISTANCE.WE WANT PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO BEAWARE OF NOT ONLY WEATHER AREBUT ALSO VIRUS AWARE ANDCERTAINLY AS I LOOK OUA AROUNDTHIS PARTICULAR ROOM PEOPLE ARECONTINUING TO DO THAT AND FORTHAT I AM GRATEFUL.AND SO WITH THAT I’M GOING TOTURN IT OVER TO DIRECTORMICHELLE, WHICH WILL TALK TO YOUABOUT SHELTERING AND OTHERSPECIFICS WITH RESPECT TO WHATIS SOON TO BECOME HURRICANESALLY.THANK YOU GOD.GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.JUST POINT OUT A FEW THINGS.JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE RISKTHAT WE’RE LOOKING AT HERE.THEY REALLY HAVE REMAINEDUNCHANGED FROM YESTERDAY.AND THAT’S FLASH FLOODING WINDGUSTS AND TORNADOES WITH THATTYPE OF COMBINATION OF WHETHERWE CAN EXPECT A LARGE NUMBER OFPOWER OUTAGES.SO INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BEPREPARED FOR BEING WITHOUT POWERFOR SOMETIMES AS YOU ALL KNOW,WE HAVE EXCEPTIONAL LINE CREWSHERE IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPIAND ALONG THE SOUTHERN PART OFTHE UNITED STATES THAT WILL DOTHEIR BEST.RESTORE POWER TO YOU AS QUICKLYAS POSSIBLE AS THIS STORM HASSHIFTED TO THE EAST IT IS TAKENSOME PORTIONS OF NORTHWESTMISSISSIPPI SOMEWHAT OUT OF THISSEVERE WEATHER, BUT IF YOU AREIN THE SOUTHEASTERN PORTION OFTHE STATE YOU CAN EXPECT TOEXPERIENCE ALL OF THESECONDITIONS OF FLASH FLOODINGWIND GUSTS AND TORNADOES.SO PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR AREASWHETHER YOU FALL INTO AHURRICANE WATCH WARNING WHETHERYOU FALL INTO THE FLASH FLOOD ORSTORM SURGE PAY ATTENTION ANDPLEASE TAKE ACTION LIKEWISE.TALK ABOUT SHELTERINGOPERATIONS.I’VE GOTTEN A LOT OF QUESTIONSABOUT SHELTERING OPERATIONSDURING A COVID ENVIRONMENT AND IWANT TO MAKE SURE TO BE VERYCLEAR HERE SHELTERS WL BE OPENAND AVAILABLE IF YOU NEED TOSHELTER DURING THE STORM.CONGRESS SHELTER WILL BE OPEN IWANT TO POINT OUT.WE HAVE MESSAGE THROUGHOUT THISWHOLE HURRICANE SEASON.WE ARE ASKING YOU TO AVOIDSHELTERS IF YOU HAVE OTHEROPTIONS AVAILABLE TO YOU TOEVACUATE OUT OF THE AFFECTEDAREA TO GO WITH A FAMILY MEMBERA FRIEND OR MOVE OUT OF THE AREAAND GET YOUR LODGING IN SOMEOTHER WAYS IF YOU COME TO ACONGRESS SHELTER, YOU WILLEREQUIRED TO WEAR PPE NOQUESTIONS ABOUT IT IF YOU’RE INA CONGRESS SHELTER, YOU WILL BEREQUIRED TO WEAR PPE.AND IF A SHELTER BECOMES MAXEDOUT FROM THE CDC STANDARDS ANDANOTHER SHELTER WILL BE MADEAVAILABLE TO YOU CURRENTLY RIGHTNOW.WE’VE GOT SHELTERS AND AVAILABLEIN ALL OF THE LOWER THREECOASTAL COUNTIES EITHER ONSTANDBY OR CURRENTLY ALREADYOPEN HANCOCK COUNTY DOES HAVEONE OPEN NOW PEARL RIVER COUNTYWILL ALSO BE OPENING A SHELTEROF POSSIBLY TWO LATER THISEVENING TO PREPARE FOR EVACUEESAND FROM THEIR OWN COUNTY AS THEGOVERNOR HAS ALREADY MENTIONEDTHE MEDICAL NEED SHELTER WILL BEOPEN AND OPERATIONAL.A AT THREE O’CLOCK IN WIGGINSFOR THOSE THAT WOULD REQUIREMEDICAL NEEDS.WE ARE PREPARED TO RESPOND WITHOUR ASSETS ACCORDINGLY.AND E FINAL COMMENT TO MAKE ISTHAT I REALIZE IT IS FRUSTRATINGWHEN YOU HEAR ABOUT A STORMCOMING ABOUT AND ENDS UP NOTBEING QUITE AS SEVERE, BUT IWANT TO REMIND EVERYONE AS THEGOVERNOR MENTIONED THE STORM HASCHANGED EVEN SINCE THE UPDATETHAT WE HAD AT 5:00 A.M.

THISMORNING ONE THING THAT I’VENOTICED CONSISTENT ABOUT THISSTORMS AT THE WIND SPEEDPROJECTIONS INCREASED BY ABOUT 5MILES AN HOUR EVERY TIME WE GETAN UPDATE.SO THE POTENTIAL FOR THISHURRICANE TO MAKE LANDFALL INMISSISSIPPI AT GREATER ZAKATONE.STILL EXISTS, SO PLEASE BEMINDFUL AND TAKE ACTIONSACCORDINGLY.THANK YOU DIRECTOR MICHELLE ATTHIS TIME WHEN I ASKED GENERALBALLS TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ANDTHEN WE’LL DO QUESTIONS.IT’S MORE OF THE NATIONAL GUARDBRIEF THE GOVERNOR THAT WE HAVER ENGINEERING ASSETS IN PLACE.WE HAVE OUR AVIATION ASSETS INPLACE AND WE HAVE SECURITYASSETS IN PLACE, WHICH WOULD BEMPS AND OTHER SOLDIERS.WHAT’S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTABOUT THIS STORM IS THAT WE’VEPASTURED SOME RESPONSIVENESS ATCAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPIYESTERDAY.WE WERE THINKING WE MIGHT BEABLE TO PIVOT DOWN 59 BUT THISALSO GIVES US THE ABILITY TOPIVOT DOWN HIGHWAY 98R HIGHWAY49 IF NEEDED IN ADDITION.WE STILL HAVE OUR ASSETS ON THECOASTAL RESPOND TO ANY COASTALNEEDS WITH THAT SAID WE’VEREACHED OUT TO OUR NEIGHBORINGSTATES.THEY’VE REACHED OUT TO US WITHTHE NATIONAL GUARD SUPPORT.SO WE GOT PLENTY OF OF NATIONALGUARD SUPPORT AVAILABLE.AND AT THIS POINT GOVERNOR WEALSO ARE ABLE TO SUPPORT THECOVID RES

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