Sally: a Category 2 that behaved like a much bigger storm
When Hurricane Sally approached in September 2020, its forward speed dropped to about 2–3 mph — walking pace. Instead of passing through in a few hours, its eyewall and rain bands sat over Escambia and Santa Rosa counties through the night. Rain totals reached roughly 20 to 30 inches in parts of the area, the onshore wind held a surge of several feet in the bays for hours, and creeks and bayous that drain to those bays had nowhere to empty.
Three things a stalled storm does
- Rain accumulates. A storm producing 2 inches per hour that lingers for ten hours is a 20-inch event. Pensacola's storm drains are designed for far less.
- Surge persists. A slow storm keeps pushing water into Pensacola Bay through multiple tide cycles, so the drainage outfalls stay underwater.
- Wind damage compounds. Hours of hurricane-force gusts work shingles and siding loose that a faster storm would never have removed — which is why Sally produced so many roof claims for a Category 2.
It has happened before
Hurricane Danny (1997) stalled over Mobile Bay with rain totals over 30 inches nearby. Georges (1998) stalled after landfall in Mississippi and flooded the Blackwater, Yellow and Escambia rivers. And the April 2014 flood — not a hurricane at all — dropped more than 15 inches on Pensacola in a day, washing out Scenic Highway.
Where it floods first
Low areas around Bayou Chico, Bayou Texar, Bayou Grande, Carpenter Creek, Eleven Mile Creek, Jones Creek and downtown streets near the waterfront are typically among the first to flood. Use the zone checker and FEMA flood maps to see your own risk.
How to prepare for a slow storm
- Watch the forecast rainfall, not just the category. Our weather center shows 24- and 72-hour rain totals.
- Buy flood insurance well before the season — most policies have a 30-day wait.
- Elevate valuables and move vehicles to higher ground before the rain starts.
- Never drive into flooded roads. Most flood deaths happen in vehicles.