Four storms to remember from recent years as hurricane season 2019 begins

The last two hurricane seasons have brought several landfalling systems to the central Gulf Coast region, including two in South Mississippi.

BLOG VIDEO: 5-30-19 Tropics: A look back at South MS's recent storms
By Wesley Williams | May 30, 2019 at 10:01 AM CDT - Updated May 30 at 11:28 AM

SOUTH MISSISSIPPI (WLOX) - Hurricane Season 2019 starts on Saturday, June 1. Here’s a look back at recent storms that affected us: Tropical Storms Alberto & Gordon of 2018 as well as Hurricane Nate of 2017.

Also, even though historic Major Hurricane Michael of 2018 didn’t impact us at all, it sure was a close call for such a strong storm.

ALBERTO - minimal impacts to coastal MS

  • Formed - May 25, 2018
  • Dissipated - June 1, 2018
Alberto as a 50 mph subtropical storm tracking northwestward in the eastern Gulf of Mexico on May 27, 2018
Alberto as a 50 mph subtropical storm tracking northwestward in the eastern Gulf of Mexico on May 27, 2018

Tropical Storm Alberto was what many remember as South Mississippi’s Memorial Day “fake-out” storm of 2018. It was too close for comfort when it made its Florida Panhandle landfall. Alberto’s biggest impact to us was our loss of tourism on the holiday weekend as well as a few downpours around the Wednesday after.

GORDON - minimal impacts to coastal MS

  • Formed September 3, 2018
  • Dissipated September 8, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at peak intensity on September 4, 2018
Tropical Storm Gordon in the eastern Gulf of Mexico at peak intensity on September 4, 2018

Tropical Storm Gordon actually did make a landfall in our area, on the MS/AL line. It was a windy and wet night for areas near Pascagoula and Lucedale with power outages and downed trees reported. However, the storm brought only minimal impacts to the rest of our area.

NATE - moderate impacts to coastal MS

  • Formed October 4, 2017
  • Dissipated October 11, 2017
Hurricane Nate approaching the Gulf Coast on October 7, 2017
Hurricane Nate approaching the Gulf Coast on October 7, 2017

Hurricane Nate from 2017 made a Biloxi landfall in early October, causing an abrupt ending to Cruisin’ the Coast. It was the first, and strongest, hurricane to make landfall in Mississippi since Katrina of 2005. You can click here to read a detailed summary of the county-by-county impacts that occurred from Nate.

MICHAEL - no impact to coastal MS

  • Formed October 7, 2018
  • Dissipated October 16, 2018
Hurricane Michael beginning to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle on October 10, 2018, near the time of its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane.
Hurricane Michael beginning to make landfall on the Florida Panhandle on October 10, 2018, near the time of its peak intensity as a Category 5 hurricane.

Hurricane Michael did not actually cause any bad weather impacts to coastal Mississippi as it made its historical Florida Panhandle landfall. This storm was just worth mentioning in this list because of its historic nature and how it was just a few states away from us. If it had made a landfall just a few hundred miles west of that, coastal Mississippi, or whatever would have been left of it, would be a much different place today. Fortunately, we were spared.

PREPARE SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

Just goes to show that tropical storms and hurricanes have hit coastal Mississippi or have hit fairly close to coastal Mississippi over the last two years. And it could happen again this year too.

Tune in to Prepare South Mississippi coverage this Friday at 6:30 PM on WLOX-CBS and Saturday at 5:00 PM on WLOX-ABC with the WLOX Weather Team.

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