Keesler goes HURCON 1 for Sally

Tropical Storm Sally strengthened off the west coast of Florida on Sunday and was poised to become a hurricane, bringing the threat of dangerous storm surges and high winds to the Gulf Coast. The storm track was disrupting oil production in the Gulf of Mexico for a second time in less than a month. The NHC said the storm could become a "potentially dangerous" Cat 2 hurricane (winds up to 100 mph) by Tuesday, and approach the north-central Gulf Coast late on Monday and Tuesday. Royal Dutch Shell began shutting some offshore drilling operations Sunday. Chevron Corp. and Murphy Oil began evacuations from offshore production platforms Saturday. Chevron's Pascagoula, Miss., refinery was implementing storm preparedness procedures. Hurricane conditions were expected by early Tuesday from Grand Isle, La., to Ocean Springs, Miss., at 8 a.m. CDT (Sunday), it had sustained winds of 50 mph. (Source: NHC 09/13/20) The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries announced the temporary closure of Elmer's Island, located on the SW tip of Jefferson Parish, at noon Sept. 13 (Source LDWF 09/13/20) Additionally, Gulf Islands (Fla.) National Seashore announced Fort Pickens, Perdido Key/Johnson Beach, Santa Rosa/Opal Beach, and Okaloosa, areas closed Saturday. The Fort Barrancas area remains closed due to the closure of Naval Air Station Pensacola. (Source: WEAR 09/12/20) UPDATE: St. Charles Parish, La., officials ordered a parish-wide, mandatory evacuation. In St. John the Baptist Parish, La., a mandatory evacuation has been ordered for residents in areas north of Airline Highway and low-lying areas north of I-10 in LaPlace. Officials in the Jean Lafitte community issued a mandatory evacuation, and for residents in Crown Point and Barataria in Jefferson Parish The order follows a mandatory evacuation ordered this morning in Grand Isle. Jefferson Parish officials expect a storm surge of 6-to-10 feet. (NOLA.com) MISSISSIPPI UPDATE: The latest track shows Tropical Storm Sally heading more west which puts the Jackson metro and central Mississippi in the "action area," said Metrologist John Moore III with the National Weather Service of Jackson. Mississippi business/school closures https://www.sunherald.com/news/weather-news/article245695730.html MISSISSIPPI UPDATE: The 81st Training Wing commander at Keesler AFB has directed the base to enter Hurricane Condition 1 status [may experience 50-knot winds or higher within 12 hours]. Hurricane Sally is projected to make landfall 29 nautical miles East of Keesler as a Category 1 hurricane late Tuesday evening. (Source: Keesler AFB)