Coastal cities swamped in mere hours
Up to 10 inches of torrential rain drenched southern Mississippi in just a few hours Thursday morning, triggering flash floods that quickly swamped roads and homes and led to water rescues.
Biloxi and Gulfport were two of the cities hardest hit, according to the National Weather Service. Residents were told to stay home and all-terrain military vehicles were deployed to rescue stranded motorists and residents, according to the city of Biloxi.
On Friday, strong to severe thunderstorms and drenching rain are forecast for portions of Oklahoma, Texas, western Arkansas and northern Louisiana, the Storm Prediction Center said.
“The slow-moving nature of the storm system will also bring an elevated risk of flash flooding,” according to AccuWeather meteorologist Edward Vallee.
In Mississippi on Thursday, roads were closed across the region as both cities were overwhelmed by the downpours.
Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes called the storm an “unprecedented weather event” and declared a state of emergency for the town.
“Even as the system moves on we will monitor rivers and streams for flash flooding, and continue with emergency response and clean-up measures,” he said in a statement.
The Biloxi River is forecast to crest at 16.5 feet early Friday, the weather service said, which is 4.5 feet above flood stage and the 8th-biggest flood on record for the river.
More than 5 inches of rain fell in less than 4 hours in Gulfport, AccuWeather said. The city’s high school was forced to close; other schools in the area delayed opening.
Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi was temporarily closed because of the flooding, the city of Biloxi reported.
Some good news: As of late afternoon, the Biloxi Shuckers’ minor league baseball game against the Tennessee Smokies was still on, according to the team’s website.
“The slow-moving nature of the storm system will also bring an elevated risk of flash flooding.” Edward Vallee, AccuWeather meteorologist