UPDATE 12:50 p.m. MONDAY: 

A Pre-Disaster Emergency Declaration has been granted to the State of Mississippi by President Biden and FEMA. In a release from MEMA, the state-wide declaration is taking place due to the damages and property loss brought by Hurricane Ida.

Expenses accrued by the state and counties are eligible for federal reimbursement for monies spent on preparations for Hurricane Ida.

Under this declaration, FEMA is authorized to provide emergency measures at 75 percent federal funding, and will be available for all 82 counties and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.

Therese Apel live from Lincoln County. Power lines, trees down, widespread power outages: 

UPDATE 11:15 a.m. MONDAY: 

Update 12:00 p.m.: Tornado Warning has been lifted

Jackson County: TAKE COVER NOW! Tornado Warning is in place for Eastern Jackson County in Mississippi. Radar indicated rotation in a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado.  The storm is moving northeast at 35 mph.

It is noted that heavy rainfall may affect visibility of this tornado. Stay indoors, and do not wait to hear or see this tornado.

UPDATE 11:15 a.m. MONDAY:

According to the National Weather Service, Mississippi is still not in the clear. The Eastern bands of Tropical Storm Ida are expected to hit the area between Rankin County and Leflore County over the next 4-5 hours.

Tropical storm warnings are still in effect throughout the lower half of the state, while Flash Flood Warning cover the remainder of the state. Flash Flood Warning is still in effect for Central Mississippi.

Road obstructions, power outages, and flash floods are to be expected as the storm passes through Mississippi over the next 18-22 hours.

As eye of #Ida hits central MS know we are 18-22 hours from it departing our state – stay diligent. Tornado threat remains for Coast. Heavy rainfall up to 8”. Downed trees across roadways in SW MS. Downed power lines with 130,000+ without power. Stay aware! Be safe! God bless! pic.twitter.com/iVbic7VjSq

— Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 30, 2021

UPDATE 9:30 a.m. MONDAY:

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has released a traffic advisory, urging all Mississippi residents to stay home and off roadways until further notice . Trees and debris are causing road closures in multiple counties, including Amite County, Adams County, Franklin County, Lawrence County, Pike County, Wilkinson County, Scott county, and Rankin County.

Both Harrison and Hancock counties still have curfews in effect until further notice.

MDOT crews have been dispatched and are working diligently to clear the roads as quickly as possible.

If you have to drive, check out MDOTtraffic.com to ensure all closures are avoided, and alternate routes are used.

State power outages at this moment are dropping (Current State Outages: 127,362 according to: www.poweroutage.us).

As now Tropical Storm Ida nears Jackson, outages will be expected to rise.

UPDATE 8:30 a.m. MONDAY:

Ida has continued to weaken as it hit land, decreasing the weather risk across Central Mississippi. Tornado risks have shifted East of I-55, though vigilance is recommended for all areas. Flash Flood warnings remain in effect, and wind gusts between 40-50 mph are still prevalent. Currently 130,000 power outages have been reported. Check back as we continue to update throughout the day.

According to the @weatherchannel app, this is what we should be seeing weatherwise through about lunchtime. pic.twitter.com/hedApHgk0Y

— Therese Apel (@TRex21) August 30, 2021

UPDATE 6:30 a.m. MONDAY:

Ida is now a tropical storm over Southwest Mississippi.

The National Weather Service warns that tropical storm conditions will continue to spread inland over portions of Louisiana and Mississippi through the morning. A few tornadoes are possible today and into tonight, mainly across southeast Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the western Florida Panhandle.

As Monday progresses, damaging winds from Hurricane Ida are expected to do damage inland as it moves northeast through the state.

Some agencies are already reporting trees down and damage to structures, and more is expected.

Please continue to stay off the roadways this morning. Trees and powerlines have fallen all over our district, making many highways impassable. @MississippiDOT @MissDPS @MSHwyPatrol pic.twitter.com/ZUIHmCy7Sp

— MHPBrookhaven (@MHPTroopM) August 30, 2021

Ida will continue to produce heavy rainfall Monday night through Tuesday morning across coastal areas.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Ida is forecast to move over central and northeastern Mississippi Monday afternoon and Monday night. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 60 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles, mainly southeast of the center.

A sustained wind of 32 mph and a gust to 52 mph were recently observed at the airport in McComb, and along the Gulf coast, a Weatherflow station in Gulfport, recently measured a sustained wind of 46 mph and a gust to 66 mph. Additional rapid weakening is forecast during the next day or so, and Ida is expected to become a tropical depression by Monday evening.

Through Tuesday morning, Ida will produce additional rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches with localized higher amounts possible into far southern Mississippi. Storm total rainfall accumulations of 10 to 18 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 24 inches is expected. Heavy rain combined with storm surge has resulted in catastrophic impacts along the southeast coast of Louisiana with life threatening flash flooding and significant river flooding continuing farther inland.

At Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, Southwest, American and United Airlines all canceled all departing flights from Jackson due to weather conditions, though Delta is still scheduled for both incoming and outgoing flights.

Those currently without power in Hinds County: 8,230 ⠀
⠀
As of 7:00 AM on 08/30/21 pic.twitter.com/TpsAg48eDp

— Hinds County EMA (@HindsEOC) August 30, 2021

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said in a release this morning that Mississippi is actively responding to Hurricane Ida.

The tropical system made landfall on Sunday, August 29 at 11:55 AM near Port Fourchon, Louisiana, as an extremely dangerous Category 4 hurricane with winds of 150 mph. Ida will be pushing northeast through the state today.

MEMA is working directly with impacted counties to assess immediate needs. Once the storm passes, citizens can report structural damage to their homes using MEMA’s self-report tool. Residents are also urged to begin documenting the damage and filing insurance claims.

Once conditions are safe, the Mississippi Department of Transportation will begin surveying affected areas, clearing roadways of debris or sand, and working diligently to re-open affected highways. MDOT’s goal is to get traffic back to normal as soon as possible to ensure the roadways are safe for anyone in need of emergency travel.

If emergency travel is necessary, drivers should be cautious around debris and be on the lookout for roadside workers. If you come across standing water over a roadway, turn around and find an alternate route; turn around, don’t drown.

TRAFFIC NOTICE: Main & Front Street, water is beginning to cover the roadway. We have an officer on scene standing by to assist with traffic. Please use caution in the area.

— Hattiesburg PD (@HattiesburgPD) August 30, 2021