Ida makes landfall, weakening

Pensacola, Florida - State emergency responders said the eye of Ida made landfall west of Pensacola, closer to the Mobile Bay, Alabama, area. Her path is still predicted to continue producing several inches of rain across the panhandle.

The weather-hardened Gulf Coast residents refused to retreat from the steadily weakening rare late-season tropical storm as it crept toward shore Tuesday, bringing heavy rain, stiff winds and some flooding.

Ida’s winds had dissipated to about 50 mph (85 kph), and at 4 a.m., the center was about 60 miles (95 km) south-southwest of Mobile. It was moving north at about 9 mph (15 kph) and expected to make land later in the morning. Tropical storm warnings were out across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, where governors declared states of emergency.

Still, few people evacuated or sought refuge along Alabama’s coast, where the former hurricane that once had potent winds over 100 mph was expected to come ashore. Officials said fewer than 70 people were in shelters that opened in Mobile and Baldwin counties, with a population of 565,000.

Andrew Abbott stood under a sheltered area at Gulf Shores’ public beach as rain blew sideways under street lights and frothy sea water washed up against the seawall. He was glad he lives a few miles inland from the beach, away from the threat of flooding and wind damage.

“Where we are we’ll be fine, and this shouldn’t be a big deal here,” said Abbott, who was with his two young children and ex-wife.

Ida started moving across the Gulf as the third hurricane of this year’s quiet Atlantic tropical season, which ends Dec. 1.

Rain and some flooding seemed to be the biggest threats. Up to 8 inches could fall in some areas, with most of the coast getting between 3 and 6 inches.

Earlier in the week, a low-pressure system that the hurricane may have played a role in attracting had triggered flooding and landslides in El Salvador that killed at least 130 people. Near New Orleans, a 70-year-old man was feared drowned when trying to help two fishermen whose boat had broken down in the Mississippi River on Monday, said Maj. John Marie, a Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s spokesman.

But in Pascagoula, Miss., which still bears scars from Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the storm didn’t interrupt dinner for Daniel Sullivan, 22, and his fiancee, Markita Jones, 21, who were the only customers waiting to be served at a drive-in restaurant.

Power
Responders said approximately 2000 customers lost power overnight in Gulf County. No other major outages were reported.

Roads
Minor flooding and washed out roads poise problems in some rural and isolated areas. No major roads are closed.

Flooding
State emergency officials said many of the coastal areas have minor flooding. Rain will continue across the panhandle, as Ida makes her way eastward. Responders will continue monitoring rivers over the next few days.

Escambia County Hardest Hit, So far
* Schools still closed Tuesday
* 325 homes without power
* 3 - 7 inches of rain fell
* Closing shelters as of 9 AM Tuesday
* No bridge closures overnight - winds did not reach 45 miles per hour
* Damage assessment teams are assessing area now
* Officials plan to de-activate EOC as of 4 PM Tuesday

EOC Activation
Florida's State Emergency Operations Center is expected to scale back operations later today and the storm continues dissipating.

Ida is expected to become extratropical in nature or lose its tropical characteristics while it makes a hard turn to the east as it is absorbed by a frontal boundary.

There is a Small Craft Advisory for the offshore waters where waves in excess of 7 feet are likely. Near shore waters will run in the 4 to 8 foot range still creating difficult conditions.

Stay tuned to www.forecastfirst.com and 10 Connects on air for the latest updates.