Tropical Storm Sally Pulls Away From Florida

MIAMI, FL —Tropical Storm Sally pulled away from Florida's Gulf coast Sunday as the system brought rain and the threat of flooding to parts of Florida.

Sally was about 115 miles west of Port Charlotte, Florida and about 345 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

"On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the southeastern and eastern Gulf of Mexico today, move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico tonight and Monday, and approach the north-central Gulf Coast within the hurricane watch area late Monday and Tuesday," weather officials said at 5 a.m. Sunday.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Isle Louisiana to the Florida/Alabama border and from Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, including metropolitan New Orleans.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Isle Louisiana
northeast to Ocean Springs Mississippi, including New Orleans,
Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

A hurricane watch was in effect from east of Morgan City
Louisiana to west of Grand Isle.

With the arrival of Sally, there are only three names left — Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred — for the remainder of the hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. After that storms will be named with the Greek alphabet for the first time since 2005.

The National Hurricane Center warned that the system could produce rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts possible over southern Florida and the Florida Keys through Sunday.

"Tropical Storm Sally is expected to produce additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts of 6 inches across southern and central Florida through Monday. This rainfall will produce flash and urban flooding and prolong high flows and ongoing minor flooding on rivers across Central Florida," the National Hurricane Center said.

Sally was also expected to produce rainfall 6 to 12 inches with isolated amounts of 20 inches over portions of the central Gulf coast between the western Florida Panhandle and far southeast Louisiano from Monday into the middle of the week.

"Rainfall of 4 to 8 inches is possible farther inland over portions of Mississippi and Alabama," the National Hurricane Center said. "Sally is expected to be a slow moving system resulting in significant flash flooding near the central Gulf coast through the middle of the week."

The National Hurricane Center said Sally would likely bring flash, urban and rapid onset flooding along small streams and minor to isolated major flooding on rivers.