Drew Wilson
More of Florida’s Panhandle was put under a state of emergency Tuesday by Gov. Ron DeSantis as a meandering Hurricane Sally continued to threaten the Gulf Coast.
With the National Hurricane Center forecasting “historic life-threatening flooding” in some areas, DeSantis added Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Walton, and Washington counties to an emergency order.
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties were put under the order Monday afternoon.
DeSantis also Tuesday lifted tolls on the Garcon Point Bridge, which spans part of Pensacola Bay, until noon Wednesday.
The hurricane center had Sally about 85 miles south of Mobile, Ala., late Tuesday afternoon, inching along at 2 mph, with 80 mph maximum sustained winds.
“Historic life-threatening flash flooding is likely through Wednesday along and just inland of the coast from the western Florida Panhandle to far southeastern Mississippi,” the hurricane center said in a mid-day advisory.
A storm surge warning was in place from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the border of Okaloosa and Walton counties.
A hurricane warning stretched from Alabama to Navarre, east of Pensacola. A tropical storm warning was in place from Navarre to Indian Pass in Gulf County.
