Local emergency management officials said they are ready for the arrival of Tropical Depression Fay and her anticipated winds and rain.
Fay was downgraded to a tropical depression Saturday night, but forecasters still predicted heavy rain along the Gulf Coast.
Fay was expected to cross southwest Mississippi before turning northeast sometime Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecaster Danielle Manning with the National Weather Service in Slidell, La., said Saturday that rain and wind were expected to enter southwest Mississippi Saturday night, with rainfall and wind speeds increasing today.
The chance of rain today is 80 percent, with wind speeds from 15 to 20 mph and higher gusts expected, and a flash flood warning is in effect for the area.
Rainfall is expected to be in the 4- to 6-inch range over today and Monday, with greater rainfall amounts possible as heavier rain bands pass through the area.
She said Weather Service officials expect Fay to stall over the Baton Rouge area Tuesday, adding that the chance of rain for southwest Mississippi will remain until Tuesday night.
“All of our emergency responders and equipment are ready; we’re watching and waiting.” Pike County Civil Defense Director Richard Coghlan said Friday afternoon.
Coghlan said he talked with Red Cross officials and has one shelter on standby if needed.
“We decided to have one shelter ready just in case because of the flash flood warning,” Coghlan said.
Amite County Civil Defense Director Sam Walsh said Friday morning that he was in the process of checking emergency generators and other equipment to be sure they were ready in case Fay proved to be more severe than early predictions indicate.
Both men said they have been in touch with Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials, and meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Slidell.
“Right now, they’re predicting the heaviest rainfall to be east of the Bogue Chitto and south of I-20,” Coghlan said.
“The winds won’t be too bad,” Walsh said, “but if you include torrential rains with that, we could have some problems with trees falling on power lines.”
