Tropical Storm Cindy bringing heavy rain, flooding to South Mississippi

South Mississippi can expect torrential rain and the potential for flooding through Friday as a Tropical Storm Cindy drifts toward Texas, according to the National Weather Service.

Tropical Storm Cindy formed Tuesday afternoon and while its forecast track has it making landfall on the Texas coast early Thursday, the heaviest rain is expected along the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts.

A flash flood watch is in effect for South Mississippi, with a forecast of 4-8 inches of rain in most areas with the potential for 10-15 inches of rain in isolated areas as the storm streams in from the gulf. The heavy rain is expected to begin moving into the region Tuesday night.

Flood warnings are also in effect for the Tchoutacabouffa River in D’Iberville, Wolf River in Gulfport and Biloxi River near Lyman.

Low-lying coastal areas will likely see flooding from tides running 2 to 4 feet above normal.

Tropical Storm watches and warnings are in effect for parts of the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

Flooding safety tips

• Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
• Avoid walking or driving through flood waters.
• Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down, and 1 foot of water can sweep your vehicle away.
• If there is a chance of flash flooding, move immediately to higher ground. Flash floods are the No. 1 cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S.
• If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is not moving, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter moving water.
• Avoid camping or parking along streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.

Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), produces safe, reliable and environmentally responsible energy for nearly 187,000 customers in 23 southeast Mississippi counties. Mississippi Power ranked first in the Southeastern Electric Exchange’s 2016 Safety Performance Reports and is consistently recognized as an industry leader in reliability, customer service and safety. Visit our websites at www.mississippipower.com and www.mississippipowernews.com, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.