Tropical Storm Watch Issued for Perry Area: Prepare for Winds and Flooding

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Perry, affecting Beaumont, New Augusta, and Richton, as of October 8 at 9:57 PM CDT by the National Weather Service (NWS) Mobile AL. This watch is effective immediately and expires October 9, 2026, at 6:00 AM UTC.

Residents in the affected areas should finalize preparations for hazardous winds reaching 10-20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, with potential for sustained winds of 39 to 57 mph. Efforts to protect property should be underway now. Expect potential limited damage to porches, awnings, sheds, and unanchored mobile homes, as well as broken tree limbs and scattered power outages. Hazardous driving conditions are possible on bridges and elevated roadways.

Moderate flooding rain is also anticipated, with around 1 inch of rainfall expected. Emergency plans should include the potential for moderate flooding, as evacuations and rescues are possible. Heed any flood watches and warnings. Rivers, tributaries, small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may overflow. Floodwaters could enter some structures, and several areas may experience rapid inundation at underpasses and low-lying spots. Some road and bridge closures are possible due to hazardous driving conditions.

Tornadoes are not expected at this time. For local information, contact Perry County EMA at 601-964-8474 or visit www.facebook.com/perrycountyemd. For storm impacts, refer to NWS Mobile at www.weather.gov/mob.