Hurricane Sally, Now A Cat 1 Storm, Moving Slowly Before Making Landfall On The Gulf Coast, Targeting Mobile, AL

Sally Will Impact The Gulf Coast Hard

HURRICANE SALLY is now a Category 1 hurricane, moving at just 2 mph, and could make landfall sometime TODAY or TOMORROW, possibly as a Category 2 storm. This latest storm hits the GULF COAST less than three weeks after HURRICANE LAURA caused widespread damage from wind, rain and storm surge, according to CNN. MISSISSIPPI and ALABAMA are now more the main targets to feel the brunt of this slow-moving storm with MOBILE, AL expected to be where SALLY hits first.

ACCUWEATHER is predicting a 6 to 10-foot storm surge, which will be one of the biggest impacts of HURRICANE SALLY. Storm surge arrives ahead of approaching storms as quickly rising floodwaters. It's not only the height but the movement, wave action and force of the surge that can lead to so much destruction. These floodwaters are often the greater threat to both lives and property than the wind even before a hurricane makes landfall.

President DONALD TRUMP approved emergency declarations for LOUISIANA and MISSISSIPPI. LOUISIANA Governor JOHN BEL EDWARDS declared a declared a state of emergency, and NEW ORLEANS and BATON ROUGE officials have ordered residents to evacuate due to the wind, rain and life-threatening storm surge. MISSISSIPPI Gov. TATE REEVES signed a preliminary state of emergency, and Gov. KAY IVEY issued a state of emergency for ALABAMA.

CUMULUS/MOBILE OM JIMMY STEELE is at the bullseye for approaching HURRICANE SALLY which is expected to make landfall on DOLPHIN ISLAND in MOBILE BAY, TOMORROW MORNING (9/16) as a category 1 storm with winds of 74-95 mph, with sustained winds of 85 mph.

STEELE told ALL ACCESS, "We have some big sticks here and not only cover MOBILE but BILOXI, MS and PENSACOLA, FL so we are of service to many thousands of listeners across many miles.  

"Our main push has been to get our listeners to download our station apps in case we lose transmitter power. We are providing constant weather and traffic updates on the air and across the apps as well as messaging to and from listeners there and on our FACEBOOK pages where we can also disseminate closings and vital emergency information. We are also pushing our streaming if we lose our transmitting facilities.

"We are currently providing hourly update with our TV partner CBS affiliate WKRG-TV 5/MOBILE. I will be on-air in morning drive tomorrow at WABD and can simulcast across all of our station in the cluster as well as join WKRG-TV for continuous coverage.

"When SALLY makes landfall, we expect her to continue to move slowly and land as a Category 1 storm. Thankfully we will not be on the EAST side of the storm, but nonetheless, she will dump tons of rain and there will be significant flooding and storm surge.  We are prepared and ready to go.

"Being live and local is a huge benefit in a situation like this -- we can focus on our listeners needs on neighborhood by neighborhood basis and direct help where the impact and damage is the greatest."

ALL ACCESS will keep you informed on what radio stations in NEW ORLEANS and  those in surrounding areas of SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA as well as MISSISSIPPI and ALABAMA are doing to keep their audiences up to date on this dangerous storm.

If you have information to share on your stations' efforts, just click here.

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