ABC News(MOBILE, Ala.) — States of emergency are in effect in Mississippi, Louisiana and parts of Alabama as Tropical Storm Gordon bears down on the Gulf Coast.
The storm, bringing gusty winds, heavy rain and potentially flooding, is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by the time it makes landfall along the Mississippi coastline Tuesday evening.
Heavy rain and inland flooding are major concerns for Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas as the storm moves north Wednesday.
Some areas may see up to a foot of rain.
Storm surge is also a concern, potentially reaching as high as 5 feet.
“Nobody should panic but everybody should take this seriously,” Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said at a news conference Monday.
“Gordon is a tight, fast-moving tropical storm,” Alabama Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Hastings said in a statement Tuesday. “If you live in the coastal counties, especially in surge and flood prone areas, it is imperative that you get to a safe place by early afternoon and stay there through Wednesday morning.”
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