Hurricane Sally looms off Gulf Coast

Hurricane Sally intensified to a Category 2 on Monday as it closed in on the Gulf Coast, raising hurricane warnings in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. The National Hurricane Service warned of “potentially historic” flooding and sustained winds of 110 mph by the time it makes landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

How much damage could Sally do? Forecasters predict a storm surge of up to 9 feet in downtown Mobile, Ala., while Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Sally could dump 20 inches of rain on the southern part of the state. President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for parts of Louisiana and Mississippi. Florida has also declared a state of emergency in the Panhandle’s westernmost counties. Sally is one of five major storms churning simultaneously in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean.

Dig deeper: Find the latest updates on developing storms at the National Hurricane Center.

Editor’s note: WORLD has updated this report since its initial posting.