Tropical Storm Cindy is bringing heavy rains to Alabama’s coast, with precipitation extending all the way north to the central portions of the state.
Five inches of rainfall is predicted.
Streets flooded on Dauphin Island, a barrier island on the Gulf Coast, are already flooded.
Beaches had to close in Gulf Shores because of dangerously rough surf.
Baldwin and Mobile counties canceled summer classes because of the storm.
Louisiana and Alabama have declared states of emergency, even as the storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression.
More adventurous residents ignored the red “Beach Closed” warning flags.
They braved the wind-lashed beaches for the fun of it.
“We love storms. We raised our children to adore storms,” said Gulf Shores resident Brenda Dickinson.
“You know we made a thing out of it. ‘OK, everybody in one room, we’re going to you know bring the water, bring the lanterns, bring everything. This is a family moment. Set the clock for when it’s going to hit.'”
Veteran beach dwellers like Dickinson knew better than to be cavalier about the storm.
“It’s to be respected. And appreciated, yeah” she said. “Don’t ignore it. You know, love it.”
Not everyone will be loving it.
Forecasters have issued flash flood warnings for eastern and southern Arkansas. Two to 5 inches of rain are expected.
One Alabama family was visited with a most serious tragedy. A wave knocked down a log in front of a waterfront condominium in Baldwin County. The falling log struck the 10-year-old of a family of vacationers from St. Louis.
The child was killed.
