Storm Surge/Tide in Baldwin Central, Alabama

Hurricane Nate quickly moved north northwest out of the northwest Caribbean Sea and across the Gulf of Mexico, making landfall near Biloxi, MS just after midnight on October 8th as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum winds of 85 mph. Nate quickly weakened as it moved inland across inland southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama and was downgraded to a tropical depression over central Alabama by 10am CDT on October 8th.

The most significant damage produced by Nate was a substantial storm surge, particularly in the Mississippi Sound and Mobile Bay. The highest surge values were observed in Mobile County, AL where peak surge inundation was generally 4 to 6 feet based on official tide gauges. However, an NWS Mobile storm survey indicated a peak surge inundation of 6 to 8 feet along the immediate coastal areas of Bayou La Batre and Coden. Similar inundation levels occurred on the west end of Dauphin Island. 3 to 6 feet of inundation occurred in Baldwin County, with the highest surge occurring along the eastern shore of Mobile Bay and points further north in the Mobile River Delta. Approximately 25 homes on the west end of Dauphin Island were significantly flooded by the surge waters. Several other homes experienced minor damage from the surge. Several homes in the Bayou La Batre, Coden, and the Dog River area of Mobile County experienced 2 to 3 feet of flooding inside the structures due to the surge. Hundreds of piers were damaged or destroyed n Mobile and Baldwin Counties. Some coastal roads were also closed due to surge, including the US Highway 90 Causeway and Water Street in Downtown Mobile. The surge and large breaking waves also resulted in significant beach erosion along the gulf facing beaches. 6 feet of sand was deposited on a 3 mile stretch of Bienville Blvd on the west end of Dauphin Island.

Winds gusts of 50+ mph were observed in coastal areas with a the highest wind gust of 66 mph recorded at the Mobile Regional Airport just after 2am on October 8th. The winds resulted mainly in scattered power outages and downed trees. Gusty winds did spread further inland into southwest and south central Alabama with isolated to scattered power outages and downed trees reported.

The fast movement of Nate resulted in limited, if any, impacts from flooding. 3 to 6 inches of rain was reported across southwest and south central Alabama, with the highest totals occurring in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.

Four EF-0 tornadoes were reported in southwest and south central Alabama: one in Mobile County, two in Baldwin County, and one in Butler County.

2 rip current fatalities occurred on October 9th in Fort Morgan due to continued high surf and widespread rip currents left in the wake of the hurricane.

Based on available information from public and individual assistance reports, total damage from Hurricane Nate in southwest Alabama is roughly estimated at just over $21 million, with the vast majority of the damage resulting from surge and major beach erosion in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.