Alabama Under State Of Emergency As Category-2 Hurricane Nate Nears Gulf Coast

BIRMINGHAM, AL - Tropical Storm Nate was upgraded to a hurricane around midnight last night, and will hit the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida Saturday. By noon Saturday, the storm had been upgraded to a Category-2 hurricane. Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency for Alabama effective Friday in anticipation of Nate's arrival. Parts of Alabama could come under a tornado watch during the weekend if those areas are on the eastern side of the storm.

“I have signed the State of Emergency, because it frees up personnel and resources in case there is a need to respond to any storm-related activity,” Ivey said. “State and local leaders are ready to respond if needed, but our people need to stay weather-aware and heed any directions given by local officials.”

The National Hurricane Center issued a statement saying that a hurricane warning is in effect for portions of the northern Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Alabama, and preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in these areas. "Life-threatening storm surge flooding is likely along portions of the northern Gulf Coast," said the statement. Forecasters have been monitoring the threat of tornadoes that could accompany Nate as it moves closer to Alabama. The threat of tornadoes is expected to spread northward during the day on Sunday as the center of the storm moves inland. Nate is expected to cause dangerous surf and deadly rip currents along Alabama and Florida Panhandle beaches through the weekend and the first part of next week. Mobile County's Facilities Department has stored sandbags that can be used to protect county buildings subject to flooding.

(For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Birmingham Patch morning newsletter.)

Watch: Tropical Storm Nate Could Strike The US Gulf Coast As A Hurricane

The National Hurricane Center tweeted its latest information on Nate around 6:30 a.m. Saturday:

According to the hurricane service, Florida will be out of the forecast cone, but hurricane, tropical storm and storm surge watches were issued late Friday morning across the Alabama Coast to Indian Pass, Florida. Projections show the storm entering Alabama early Sunday and passing through Tennessee late Sunday and north through the Atlantic states through Tuesday.

The storm could drop 3 to 6 inches of rain, with 12 inches possible in some areas, the hurricane center said. In Alabama, winds of 75 mph and gusts to 90 mph are expected near the coast. Further inland over the western part of the state, sustained winds of 35-45 mph with gusts to 60 mph are forecast as far north as the Birmingham/Gadsden region.

The last hurricane to hit the Louisiana-Mississippi-Alabama region in October was Hurricane Lili in 2002. The last time three hurricanes hit the mainland in the same year was 2008, when Dolly, Gustav and Ike killed hundreds of people and caused billions of dollars in damage.

The latest storm surge looks like this:

Ivey ordered the State Emergency Operations Center in Clanton to activate to Level 3, which allowed the Alabama Emergency Management Agency staff to monitor and prepare for the storm. AEMA Director Brian Hastings advised residents to do the following before Nate's arrival:

• Fill up vehicles with gas and stock with emergency supplies;
• Restock preparedness kits;
• Have a plan to communicate with family members if power is lost;
• Have a way to receive the latest weather updates.

Image from the National Weather Service