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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 4 sepTember 2018

Tropical Storm Gordon

brings hurricane warning

to Gulf Coast

By JENNIFER KAY The warning means there
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) is danger of life-threaten-
— Tropical Storm Gordon ing inundation. The region
lashed South Florida with could see rising waters of 3
heavy rains and high winds to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters).
on Monday and is expect- "The deepest water will
ed to strengthen into a hur- occur along the immedi-
ricane when it hits the cen- ate coast near and to the
tral U.S. Gulf Coast. east of the landfall loca-
Gordon formed into a tropi- tion, where the surge will
cal storm near the Florida be accompanied by large
Keys early Monday as it waves," the center said.
moved west-northwest at Louisiana Gov. John Bel Ed-
17 mph (28 kph). The storm wards declared a state of
is expected to reach hurri- emergency Monday and
cane strength when it hits said 200 National Guard
the Gulf Coast, including troops will be deployed to
coastal Mississippi, by late southeastern Louisiana.
Tuesday. From there, it is The storm's predicted track
forecast to move inland had shifted slightly east as
over the lower Mississippi of Monday evening, mean-
Valley on Wednesday. ing Louisiana is currently
The National Hurricane just outside the area under
Center said at 8 p.m. EDT the hurricane warning. Still,
that the storm was cen- the southeastern part of
tered 95 miles (150 kilome- the state remains under a
ters) west of Fort Myers, Flor- tropical storm warning and Dania Beach, Fla., Ocean Rescue Alice Henley and Dillon Wise secure their surfboard as Tropical
Storm Gordon pass by South Florida with wind gust and heavy rainfall for the Labor Day holiday on
ida. Maximum sustained residents need to be pre- Monday, Sept. 3, 2018.
winds were clocked at 60 pared for the storm to shift Associated Press
mph (95 kph). west, Edwards said. "This
A hurricane warning was storm has every possibility
put into effect for the area to track further in our direc- area to stock up on sup- "possible" for tornadoes in she had expected higher
stretching from the mouth tion," Edwards said during plies and shelter in place. the affected parts of South numbers for the Labor Day
of the Pearl River in Mississip- a news conference Mon- Miami Beach Police said Florida on Monday night. weekend. "This is normally a
pi to the Alabama-Florida day evening. New Orleans via Twitter that the Labor The storm left many busi- decent weekend, but the
border. As much as 8 inch- Mayor LaToya Cantrell held Day holiday was "NOT a nesses on Florida's Gulf storm and red tide aren't
es (20 centimeters) of rain an afternoon news con- beach day," with rough surf Coast feeling short- helping," Wright said. "We're
could fall in some parts of ference and said the city and potential rip currents. changed by the holiday a beach coffee shop, and
the Gulf states through late has "the pumps and the Red flags flew over Pen- weekend. The area has if people can't go to the
Thursday.The Miami-based power" needed to protect sacola-area beaches in already been heavily im- beach, then we won't get
center said the storm is residents. But authorities is- Florida's Panhandle, where pacted by this summer's any customers."
also expected to bring "life- sued a voluntary evacua- swimming and wading in so-called "red tide"— mas- Separately, Tropical Storm
threatening" storm surge tion order for areas outside the Gulf of Mexico was pro- sive algae blooms that Florence continues to hold
to portions of the central the city's levee protection hibited. More than 4,000 have caused waves of steady over the eastern
Gulf Coast. A storm surge system, including the Vene- Florida Power & Light cus- dead marine life to wash Atlantic. Forecasters say
warning has been issued tian Isles, Lake Saint Cath- tomers lost power Monday up along the coast. Jenna little change in strength is
for the area stretching from erine and Irish Bayou areas. due to weather conditions. Wright, owner of a coffee expected in coming days
Shell Beach, Louisiana, to Cantrell urged residents The National Weather Ser- shop in Naples, Florida, told and no coastal watches or
Dauphin Island, Alabama. within the levee protection vice said conditions were the Naples Daily News that warnings are in effect.q