Governor Kay Ivey has issued a state of emergency for Alabama ahead of Tropical Storm Nate.
Nate is expected to reach the northern Gulf Coast over the weekend as a hurricane when it makes landfall Sunday morning somewhere between southeast Louisiana and the Florida peninsula. In Alabama, meteorologists predict winds of 75 miles per hour and gusts of up to 90 miles per hour near the coast. Sustained winds of 45 miles per hour with gusts up to 60 miles per hour are forecast as far north as Birmingham and Gadsden.
Gov. Ivey says the emergency declaration “frees up personnel and resources in case there’s a need to respond to any storm-related activity.” She advises Alabama residents, especially on the Gulf Coast, to stay weather-aware and heed any directions given by local officials.
Ivey says the emergency declaration will remain in effect until the storm threat diminishes.