Rain bands from Ida bring flash flooding and severe threat to Panhandle

Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon, Lousiana
around 12 p.m. CDT Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum
sustained winds of 150 mph and a central pressure of 930 mb. The
tropical system has now weakened to a tropical depression status. As of
the 4 a.m. CDT Tuesday advisory from the National Hurricane Center, Ida
has winds of 30 mph and is moving north/northeast at less than 10 mph.
It is continuing its northward track out of northern Mississippi and
into southern Tennessee. Though the system has weakened, it is still
producing dangerous weather conditions that are being felt far from the
center of the storm. The Florida Panhandle will likely experience
tropical rain bands impacting the area through much of the day today. 

Tuesday
has started off rather wet across northwest Florida as tropical rain
bands have been progressing east and building in from the Gulf of Mexico
traveling northeast. Within these bands, the shower and storm activity
will likely produce heavy rainfall, gusty winds and the threat of flash
flooding as well as isolated tornadoes. The most frequent and widespread
storm activity will be from morning to early afternoon. 

The
Storm Prediction Center has reduced the Panhandle to a marginal risk
(Level 1 of 5) for severe weather across much of the Florida Panhandle
Tuesday. Isolated severe storms remain possible into the afternoon in
which case strong wind gusts of 60+ mph will be a threat as well as
brief, weak tornadoes. 

An
additional 2-4 inches of rain are forecast with higher amounts possible
in isolated locations. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for western
and central counties of the Panhandle including Walton, Holmes,
Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun and Gulf county until 7 p.m. CDT Tuesday.