Residents in Newton County might want to keep their umbrellas handy as Tropical Storm Gordon is expected to dump up to six inches of rain in the area.
Thomas Winesett, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Jackson said models showed Gordon hitting the Mississippi Gulf Coast late Tuesday evening, with rain and winds continuing to throughout the day today. By Thursday, he said, the worst of the storm will have dissipated.
“Right now, the current forecast has Gordon making landfall as a strong tropical storm,” he said, Monday. “It will hit the central Mississippi coast and track northwest.”
Gordon is expected to bring heavy winds and rain to Mississippi. Previous forecast models showed the storm tracking west of Newton County, but Winesett said Tuesday morning models showed the storm had shifted east.
“The track has shifted slightly east,” he said, Tuesday. “That brings with it extended heavy rain and Newton County is under a flash flood warning.”
Residents may see between 3-6 inches of heavy rainfall and winds gusts of 20-30 miles per hour, Winesett said.
“The higher amounts, the 6 inches, could be slightly south around the Jackson area,” he said. “The heavy wind should mostly stay to the south and west.”
However, even 3 inches of rain is enough to cause flooding in low lying areas, and 30 mph gusts of wind can knock down dead trees, Winesett warned. He said residents should take precautions while driving and be aware of dead or rotted limbs around their homes.
Of course, with tropical storms, there is always the chance for isolated tornadoes, Winesett added. However, for Newton County, “It’s just going to be wet.”
