US states on alert as Hurricane Sally intensifies
A newly formed hurricane is closing in on the US Gulf Coast, threatening several southern US states including Florida, Mississippi and Alabama.
Hurricane Sally grew to a category two storm on Monday and was expected to make landfall in early stages Wednesday.
The hurricane provides a lot more than 1ft (30cm) of rain and 85mph (135km/h) winds to some areas, with the potential of deadly storm surges, officials say.
This year's hurricane season has been particularly active.
For only the next amount of time in recorded history, there are five tropical storms churning in the Atlantic basin as well.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, whose state is still dealing with Hurricane Laura last month, tweeted on Monday to warn residents to "be smart and become safe".
Alabama and Mississippi each declared states of emergency in anticipation of the hurricane, which at 21:00 GMT on Monday was located 145 miles south-east of Biloxi, Mississippi, and moving towards land at a rate of 6mph.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said Sally was likely to make landfall near Biloxi at about 02:00 (06:00 GMT) on Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the storm had shifted and had not been expected to directly hit Louisiana, but could still cause storm surges that could trigger major floods.
"Additional strengthening is forecast tonight and early Tuesday and Sally is expected to be considered a dangerous hurricane when it moves onshore," the NHC warned.
In New Orleans, residents who live beyond your city's levee protection system have already been ordered to evacuate their homes.
By Monday, almost 80,000 homes in Louisiana were without power therefore of Hurricane Laura, which hit three weeks earlier.
Furthermore to Sally, there are four other tropical cyclones - Paulette, Rene, Teddy and Vicky - swirling in the Atlantic Ocean basin.
If only yet another storm is officially named - Wilfred was already chosen - meteorologists will commence naming new storms following the Greek alphabet.
Climate change professionals attribute the pace of major hurricane development this year - in addition to the severity of wildfires currently sweeping the united states West Coast - to the effects of climate change.
