Tracking the tropics: Gordon makes landfall near Alabama-Mississippi border

HOUSTON – Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall Tuesday near the border of Mississippi and Alabama.

Here is a look at what we know, what we don't know and the bottom line of what it means for you.

What we know

As of 10 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Gordon was moving northwest at about 14 mph.

A northwestward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.

On the forecast track, the center of Gordon will move inland across the lower Mississippi valley through Wednesday. A turn toward the north-northwest and north is forecast to occur on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts. Rapid weakening is forecast after Gordon moves inland, and Gordon is forecast to become a tropical depression on Wednesday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles from the center. A observing site on Dauphin Island, Alabama has measured a sustained wind of 57 mph with a gust to 72 mph. A wind gust of 61 mph was recently observed at the Pensacola naval air station.

The latest minimum central pressure estimated from noaa hurricane hunter aircraft data is 997 mb.

Watches and warnings

A storm surge warning is in effect for Biloxi, Mississippi, to Dauphin Island.

A storm surge watch is in effect for, east of Dauphin Island to Navarre.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama-Florida border.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for, Alabama-Florida border to Okaloosa-Walton county line.

The bottom line

Southeast Texas will not feel impacts from Gordon, but the peak of hurricane season is quickly approaching. Gordon serves as a strong reminder that is important to always be prepared during hurricane season.

Make sure to continue check with us at click2houston.com/hurricane and, of course, look for real-time updates on KPRC Channel 2 and our Facebook and Twitter pages.  


About the Author:

Meteorologist, runner, triathlete and proud Houstonian.