Tropical Storm Warning Issued for Covington: Prepare for Severe Winds, Flooding

COVINGTON — The National Weather Service (NWS) in Mobile, AL, has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Covington County, effective immediately as of October 8 at 4:04 PM CDT. Residents in Andalusia and Opp are urged to complete all preparations for severe weather as soon as possible.

Dangerous winds of 45-55 mph with gusts up to 70 mph are expected from Friday evening until early Saturday morning. Significant damage to roofing, siding, and outbuildings is possible. Several large trees may be snapped or uprooted, potentially causing road impassability and scattered power and communication outages. Move to safe shelter before hazardous winds begin.

A Flood Watch is also in effect, with 2-4 inches of rain expected, and locally higher amounts possible. This could lead to major flooding, prompting evacuations and rescues. Rivers and small waterways may overflow, and floodwaters could enter structures. Heed all flood watches and warnings; failure to act could result in serious injury or loss of life.

The NWS also indicates conditions are favorable for several tornadoes, some potentially intense. Those in manufactured homes or on boats should relocate to safe shelter. Listen for tornado watches and warnings and be ready to shelter quickly. Scattered tornadoes can cause considerable damage, power loss, and communication failures.

This Tropical Storm Warning is set to expire on October 9 at 12:15 AM UTC. For local information, contact Covington County EMA at 334-428-2670 or visit www.covcounty.com/emergency-management-agency. For storm impacts, refer to NWS Mobile at www.weather.gov/mob.