The National Hurricane Center says Gordon, which made landfall late Tuesday night as a tropical storm just west of the Alabama-Mississippi border, weakened into a tropical depression Wednesday morning over central Mississippi. The depression was located about 25 miles south-southeast of Jackson, Mississippi with maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour, it said.
Gordon, which was packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph when it hit land, never achieved hurricane status but threats of heavy rains and flooding continue, the NHC said. Isolated tornadoes were reported.
Authorities warned of possible flash floods. Pensacola International Airport reported more than 4 inches of rain Tuesdaynight, the heaviest total so far along the Gulf Coast.
The storm was forecast to quickly weaken as it moves inland across Mississippi, Louisiana and into Arkansas through Thursday.
Governors of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana declared states of emergency to better mobilize state resources and National Guard troops for the storm. Mississippi shut down a dozen Gulf Coast casinos. Workers on at least 54 oil and gas production platforms were evacuated.
