Watches/Warnings/Closings/Evacuations/Updates/Links/Contact Info
Ivan Closes in on our Gulf Coast

MS GULF COAST UPGRADED TO HURRICANE WARNING AS OF 4PM CST 9/14/04

GCIS proudly powers your community go network sites for the gulf coast.
As Hurricane Ivan Closes in on our Gulf Coast we will do our best to
keep you informed and provide helpful information.

UPDATED 800PM CST WED 9/14/04
GCIS is boarding up, please be patient next update projected around 1230am CST 9/15/04

 

click here for archived page from prior to 8pm  9/14/04

click here for archived page from prior to 5pm 9/14/04

click here for archived page from prior to 5am 9/14/04

Mississippi Emergency Management Agency officials said a mandatory evacuation of residents and businesses south of Interstate 10 in the three coastal counties of Jackson, Hancock and Harrison was to take effect at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Residents were being urged to leave earlier.
"I beg people on the coast: Do not ride this storm out," Gov. Haley Barbour said during a briefing in Jackson, where emergency officials said there was a high probability Ivan would strike Mississippi.

 

-MOST RECENT UPDATES -
WTNT34 KNHC 142341
TCPAT4
BULLETIN
HURRICANE IVAN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  50A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
7 PM CDT TUE SEP 14 2004
 
...EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE IVAN HEADED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA TO
APALACHICOLA FLORIDA...INCLUDING THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA AND
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.  A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN
THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY
SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WARNING AREA.
 
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA TO
WEST OF GRAND ISLE.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY
LOUISIANA TO WEST OF GRAND ISLE...AND FROM EAST OF APALACHICOLA TO
YANKEETOWN FLORIDA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL
STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE
NEXT 24 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM
THE SEVEN MILE BRIDGE WESTWARD...INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE IVAN WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 24.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 87.0 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
 
IVAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 140 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IVAN
REMAINS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE
COMMON IN MAJOR HURRICANES AND ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
IVAN IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL AS A MAJOR HURRICANE...AT LEAST
CATEGORY THREE.
 
IVAN IS A LARGE HURRICANE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS
EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 260 MILES.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED
TO SPREAD INLAND UP TO ABOUT 100 MILES NEAR THE PATH OF IVAN.
 
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE MEASURED BY A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER
AIRCRAFT WAS   929 MB...27.43 INCHES.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 10 TO 16 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE
EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL.
LESSER...BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT SURGE VALUES WILL BE EXPERIENCED
WHERE ONSHORE FLOW OCCURS WEST OF THE CENTER.  WATER LEVELS ARE
ALREADY RUNNING UP TO 1 FOOT ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE NORTH GULF
COAST...AND WILL BE INCREASING OVERNIGHT.

DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS...INCLUDING RIP CURRENTS...ARE LIKELY
ELSEWHERE ALONG THE FLORIDA GULF COAST.
 
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HIGHER
AMOUNTS...CAN BE EXPECTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH IVAN.
 
REPEATING THE 7 PM CDT POSITION...24.7 N... 87.0 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS...140 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 929 MB.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
10 PM CDT.

FORECASTER PASCH
 
$$

 

-GCIS WEBCAM LIVE-
AS LONG AS OUR CONNECTION STAYS UP OUR CAMS WILL,
A SHOT OF VANCLEAVE MS SKIES, LIVE, THAT'S ZIP CODE 39565.
ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH OF I-10, AND 2 MILES WEST OF HWY 57
LOCATED IN JACKSON COUNTY MISSISSIPPI

http://www.gcis.biz/webcam.html


 

LOCAL INFO

  • WLOX REPORTS THAT HARRSION COUNTY ORDERS MANDATORY EVACUATION IS ORDERED FOR ALL HARRSION COUNTY RESIDENTS IN ZONES A, B AND C, ANYONE SOUTH OF I-10,
    ANYONE ON RIVERS, CANALS, BASINS, OR BAYS. THESE ORDERS ARE IMMEDIATE AND MUST BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN NOON 9/15/04.

  • 20 SHELTERS ARE TO OPEN ON THE GULF COAST BY 2PM, PLEASE CHECK WWW.WLOX.COM OR WWW.MEMA.ORG FOR LISTINGS AT OR AFTER 2PM 9/14/04

  • CASINOS ORDERED TO CLOSE AT NOON ON 9/14/04, ALL GUESTS MUST BE GONE, AND CASINOS MUST BE SECURED BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT

  • LOW LYING AREAS, SPECIAL NEEDS PEOPLE, MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS PLEASE BEGIN YOUR EVACUATIONS NOW.

  • SHELTERS ARE OPENING UP IN NORTH MS TO HELP HANDLE PEOPLE EVACUATED FROM THE COAST, CHECK THE WWW.MEMA.ORG SITE FOR LISTINGS, CALL FIRST, MOST DO NOT ALLOW PETS.

  • JACKSON COUNTY MANDATORY EVACUATION FOR ALL AREAS SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 90, ALL LOW LYING OR WATER FRONT AREAS, ALL MOBILE HOMES.

  • RED CROSS ASKS ANYONE WITH CERTIFIED MEDICAL EXPERIENCE, RN, LPN, EMT, CNA, PLEASE CONTACT AMR ( AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE IN GULFPORT) TO OFFER YOUR SERVICES IN SHELTERS.

    American Red Cross shelters:

    • Crossgates United Methodist Church, 21 Crossgates Drive, Brandon, MS
    • Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3223 Poplar Springs Drive, Meridian, MS
    • Moselle Memorial Baptist Church, 62 U.S. 11 South, Moselle, MS
    • Faith Presbyterian Church, 400 Magee Drive, Brookhaven, MS
    • Calvary Baptist Church, 2878 Old Highway 27/Warriors Trail, Vicksburg , MS
    • Family Y in Hattiesburg, Veterans Memorial Drive, Hattiesburg.
    • Steckler Multi-Purpose Building, 311 Liberty Road, Natchez.
    • Collins United Methodist Church, 405 Gadenia Ave., Collins.
    • First Baptist Church, 77 Shelby Speights Drive, Purvis.
    • First Baptist Church, 407 Main St., Greenville.
    • First Baptist Church, 814 Azalea Drive, Waynesboro.
    • First Baptist Church, 900 High St., Columbia.

    Jackson County Shelters include:

    • St. Martin E. Elementary School, 7508 Rose Farm Road, Ocean Springs, MS will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
    • Vancleave High School, 12412 Highway 57, Vancleave, MS will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
    • East Central High School, 21700 Slider Road, Moss Point, MS will open at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

    Harrison County Shelters include:

    • North Bay Elementary School, 1825 Popp's Ferry Road, Biloxi.
    • Popp's Ferry Elementary School, 340 St. Mary Boulevard, Biloxi.
    • Thomas Reeves Elementary School, 214 St. Augustine Drive, Long Beach.
    • Quarles Elementary School, 111 Quarles St., Long Beach.
    • Good Deeds Community Center, 15101 Madison St., Gulfport.
    • Harrison Elementary School, 15451 Dedeaux Road, Gulfport.
    • Lizana Elementary School, 15341 Lizana School Road, Harrison County.
    • Saucier Elementary School, 24052 First St., Saucier.
    • West Wortham K-8 School, 20199 W. Wortham Road, Harrison County.
    • Harrison Central Ninth Grade, 10463 Klein Road, Gulfport.
    • Orange Grove Elementary School, 11391 Old Highway 49, Gulfport.
    • Three Rivers Elementary, 13500 Three Rivers Road, Harrison County.
    • Woolmarket Elementary School, 12513 John Lee Road, Harrison County.
    • Lyman Elementary School, 14222 Old Highway 49, Gulfport.
    • Central Middle School, 42nd Avenue.
    • Central Elementary School, 1043 Pass Road, Gulfport.

    Hancock County Shelters include:

    • Hancock Elementary School (the old Hancock North Central), Cuevas Town Road, Kiln, MS.

     

The Accuweather Forecast Map from 9/14/04 at 4pm CST
has eye landfall at the MS/AL border after 10pm on Wed 9/15/04.
REMEMBER----- Hurricane strength winds still reach outward 100 miles
from the eye wall, AND Tropical storm force winds reach 200 miles
outward from the eye wall.this means conditions will worsen much
earlier than Wednesday evening, even if  you are not in the direct
path of the eye.
The National Hurricane Center Forecast Map from 9/14/04 at 4pm CST
has the eye landfall near the MS/AL state line on the MS side. Around 7AM Tuesday Morning
Reading ongoing discussions from the Hurricane Center,
it is hoped the storm will decrease a bit in strength
 to at least a strong 4, which is still a DEADLY  storm.
 Depending on steering currents and ridges, this map may
continue to be adjusted not only in direction but also in time,
in the event the storm speeds up or slows down. Please
 keep posted hourly at www.noaa.gov

Governor Haley Barbour declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon and signed an executive order placing the Mississippi National Guard on active duty


Mississippi Emergency Management Agency director Robert Latham said if people
evacuate from the state's three coastal counties, they need to drive as far north in the
state as possible. "They need to leave with a plan. They need to know where they're going,'' Latham said.  The first emergency shelter was to open Monday night at Crossgates United Methodist Church in Brandon. Other shelters will open, as needed, as far north as Tupelo.


Linda Rouse, director of Harrison County Civil Defense, said no evacuation order had been issued as of late Monday, but she said officials were suggesting residents leave the coast. Rouse said shelters could open Wednesday  "Leaving the area prior to the storm coming, that's the best bet. Just because you're in a shelter doesn't mean you're safe,'' Rouse said during an afternoon briefing with coast emergency officials.


Steve Delahousey, chairman of the E-911 Commission, said people with special needs, such as the elderly and nursing home patients, should begin leaving the region. He said officials cannot guarantee there will be a shelter for people with special medical needs.



Why does the Weather Channel have their reporters in Florida ?
Well if you haven't been keeping a close eye on this storm then you might not have noticed that at every single update from the
National Hurricane Center for the last 3 days they have continuously shifted their projections to the west. They use ridges, fronts, low and high pressure fronts and troughs that all guide the storm projecting when they will move thru the area and meet up with the storm and what direction they will push it in.   Millions of dollars are spent on hundreds of forecast models they take the most similar ones and call that the track, they take the farthest outside ones and make that the outside of the cones. Then they factor in their range of error over the past 10 years.  It's very complicated and the only sure thing is. There's a serious storm in the gulf, and it's gonna hit land some where. 
From Accuweather at 11am EST on 9/14/04 this was a diagram
model of the wind radius of Hurricane Ivan, as you can see the
excessive winds are far reaching.
From the National Hurricane Center at 4am CST 9/14/04- this is a wind speed
 forecast model for the next 48 hours.

We ask that everyone on the Gulf Coast prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. Please have your hurricane kit ready, your food and water, medicines, supplies ready, your evacuation plans in place, and keep a constant eye on this storm.
Even if your city does not take a direct hit, devastating weather can still affect your area. If you are new to hurricanes always remember to take the approach of better safe than sorry, if you are elderly or need assistance, please call your civil defense or red cross for assistance and planning now. 

In an emergency you need to call 911
** BUT REMEMBER DURING THE MIDST OF A STORM EVEN POLICE AND RESCUE CAN NOT GO OUT DUE TO DANGER**

For civil defense questions call your county
Jackson County Civil Defense          
228-769-3111
Harrison County Civil Defense          
288-865-4089
 

MEMA
24 Hr Emergency Line: 1-800-222-MEMA(6362)

FEMA
1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

 
HURRICANE WATCH
IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
MS AS OF 10PM CST 9/13/04
JACKSON COUNTY SCHOOLS
ARE OPEN TUES, BUT CLOSED
WED AS OF 6PM 9/13/04
HARRISON COUNTY SCHOOLS ARE OPEN 60% ON TUES, BUT CLOSED WED AS OF 6PM 9/13/04 CLICK HERE FOR FEMA
( Federal Emergency
Management Agency)
A hurricane watch means that Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.
Hurricane force winds extend out 100 miles form the eye of Ivan and tropical storm force winds extend out over 200 miles form the eye.
CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED MEMA -JACKSON COUNTY MS INFORMATION ON SCHOOLS AND ROADS CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED MEMA
HARRISON COUNTY MS
INFORMATION ON SCHOOLS AND ROADS
CLICK HERE FOR MEMA
( Mississippi Emergency Management Agency)
CLICK HERE TO GO TO
JACKSON COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE
 
CLICK HERE FOR JACKSON COUNTY EVACUATION MAPS

CLICK HERE TO GO TO
HARRISON COUNTY CIVIL DEFENSE

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE RED CROSS WEBSITE TO FIND HELP OR DONATE
 
CLICK HERE TO GO TO
National Hurricane Center & WWW.NOAA.GOV
for maps, forecasts, advisories, satellite imagery, probabilities and discussions.
CLICK HERE TO GO TO
WWW.WLOX.COM
our local TV station
CLICK HERE TO GO TO
WWW.SUNHERALD.COM
our local newspaper
CLICK HERE TO GO TO
The Weather Channel

On Monday evening, these shelters were scheduled to open at 8 a.m. Wednesday:

• St. Martin East Elementary on Rose Farm Road, just south of Interstate 10's Exit 50.

• Vancleave High School on Mississippi 57, north of Interstate 10.

• East Central High School in Hurley. It is on the north side of Mississippi 614.

Shelter locations in Harrison and Hancock counties will be announced if and when evacuations become necessary.

 

We welcome all community members or their out of state loved ones, to use the guest books on our community go sites, to post updates on their status.
For example if you live in Ocean Springs, go to the www.gooceansprings.com website by clicking the link at the top of the page, find the guestbook and post an update on your status for your friends and loved ones.  This can also be used in reverse for friends or loved ones looking for status updates on people in communities here on the coast. 

If you want to help

Salvation Army personnel from Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana were placed on readiness alert Monday, gearing up to deploy wherever Hurricane Ivan makes landfall.

Personnel are gathering in Jackson. By Thursday night, they will be joined by other Salvation Army groups from Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, which will provide an additional 15 mobile kitchens for hurricane victims.

A mobile feeding unit or canteen carries a crew of two to four people and can serve up to 1,000 meals per day before restocking.

How to donate to disaster relief efforts: via credit card, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or online at www.1800salarmy.org; by check, mail to The Salvation Army - ALM Division, P.O. Box 4857, Jackson, MS 39296-4857; or donations in-kind, call 800-996-ARMY.

Jackson County sandbag locations

Prepackaged sandbags are stored at and will be distributed from several volunteer fire departments in Jackson County. They are:

• Central Jackson County: Elm Street and Beach Street stations at St. Andrews and the East Simmons Bayou Drive station at Gulf Park Estates.

• West Jackson County: Fort Bayou station on Seymour Lane, West Jackson County station on Big Ridge Road, St. Martin station on St. Martin Road, Latimer station on Tucker Road and Jim Ramsey station on Jim Ramsey Road.

• East Jackson County: Franklin Creek and Forts Lake station in Forts Lake, Orange Grove Fire Station on Orange Grove Road and the Jackson County Fairgrounds just north of Singing River Hospital

 

-GCIS WEBCAM LIVE-
AS LONG AS OUR CONNECTION STAYS UP OUR CAMS WILL,
A SHOT OF VANCLEAVE MS SKIES, LIVE, THAT'S ZIP CODE 39565.
ABOUT 4 MILES NORTH OF I-10, AND 2 MILES WEST OF HWY 57
LOCATED IN JACKSON COUNTY MISSISSIPPI

http://www.gcis.biz/webcam.html