A child has been killed in Florida after a tree was blown on top of his mobile home in an incident which may be linked to Tropical Storm Gordon.
04.48am (10.48pm CST) update: Child killed in Florida as tree blown onto trailer in weather storm
But the NHC said: "Rapid weakening is forecast after Gordon moves inland, and is forecast to become a tropical depression on Wednesday.”
The tropical storm made landfall just west of the Alabama-Mississippi border, lashing the US Gulf Coast with high winds and heavy rain.
No one else inside the home was injured.
It took place in Escambia County, near the city of Pensacola.
03.22am (9.22pm CST) update: Gordon approaches the shores
Storm Gordon will cross the coast near the Mississippi Alabama border tonight.
Tropical storm conditions are already effecting the Florida and Alabama coastlines and will spread across South Mississippi as well as the Parishes along the Pearl River including Eastern St. Tammany and Washington.
01.54am (7.54pm CST) update: Storm Gordon's impact on Florida's coastline
Even though Florida avoided a direct hit, from the Treasure Coast to Palm Beach County, Tropical Storm Gordon was strong enough to impact the coastline.
Parts of the St. Lucie County shoreline are now filled with seaweed, and the storm caused some erosion and helped create a 2-4 foot cliff on the beach.
00.42am (6.42pm CST) update: Gordon picks up "little strenght"
Tropical Storm Gordon has picked up “a little” strength and it is expected to make landfall by Tuesday night, officials said.
The NHC 5pm update reads: “On the forecast track, the centre of Gordon will make landfall along the north-central Gulf Coast within the hurricane warning area this evening or tonight, and move inland over the lower Mississippi Valley through Wednesday.”
“Some additional strengthening is still possible, and Gordon could become a hurricane before landfall occurs along the north-central Gulf Coast this evening.”
The storm is expected to quickly lose strength as it moves over land, the NHC said.
Tropical Storm Gordon is expected to make landfall tonight along the northern Gulf Coast, possibly as a hurricane. A hurricane warning has been issued for the Alabama and Mississippi coasts and tropical storm warnings are posted for other portions of the northern Gulf Coast. The National Hurricane Center said the storm is located about 190 miles (305km) east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi with maximum sustained winds of 65mph. The hurricane warning is in force from the mouth of the Pearl River, Mississippi to the border between Alabama and Florida.
The tropical storm warning are from west of the mouth of the Pearl River, Mississippi to east of Morgan City, Louisiana, including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas, as well as from the Alabama-Florida border to the Okaloosa-Walton County line in Florida. The storm is due to come ashore late on Tuesday near the border between Louisiana and Mississippi and drop as much as eight inches of rain in areas still recovering from last year’s hurricanes. Gordon is centred about 190 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and it was moving at relatively fast speed for a tropical cyclone - between 15mph and 20mph. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency warned of storm surges of between 3 and 5 feet and told South Mississippi residents to be prepared to evacuate.
Hurricane Gordon path: Hurricane and tropical storm warning are in place for parts of the US
The heavy rainbands are moving toward the Florida Gulf Coast and have cleared the rest of the Florida Peninsula. Gordon is forecast to be a Category 1 hurricane by the time it make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast tonight along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The heaviest rainfall from Gordon is expected to happen along or to the east of its track, where up to 12 inches of rain is possible in some areas. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency and said 200 Louisiana National Guardsmen were being deployed, along with 63 high-water trucks, 39 boats and four helicopters.
Hurricane Gordon path: Gordon is forecast to be a Category 1 hurricane when it makes landfall
The National Hurricane Center has warned residents in southeastern Louisiana, southern and central Mississippi, far southeastern Arkansas, southwestern Alabama and the western Florida panhandle. The US Coast Guard said the ports of New Orleans as well as Gulfport and Pascagoula, Mississippi, may have to close within 48 hours. Last year, powerful hurricanes hit Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico, causing thousands of deaths, hundreds of billions of dollars worth of damage and massive power outages. A storm surge warning has been issued from Shell Beach, Louisiana, to the mouth of the Mississippi River and from east of Dauphin Island, Alabama to Navarre, Florida.
Hurricane Gordon path: The times when winds up to 65mph will hit the US
Jim Cantore is here, schools have closed and warnings and some evacuations have been issued — it’s looking like hurricane season in South Mississippi.
As Tropical Storm Gordon strengthens in the Gulf of Mexico, the storm is expected to become a Category 1 hurricane before making landfall near Biloxi on the Mississippi Coast, the National Weather Service predicts.
Keep up with live updates from the National Weather Service, the Weather Channel and Jim Cantore as Gordon inches closer to South Mississippi.
Want to get in on the action? Tweet photos from Gordon using the #Gordon to be featured on the update reel.
SIGN UP
Be the first to know. No one covers what is happening in our community better than we do. And with a digital subscription, you'll never miss a local story. SIGN ME UP!
For local, real-time Gordon updates, visit SunHerald.com.
The National Hurricane Center believes Gordon, the seventh-named storm of the season, will become a Category 1 hurricane before it makes landfall tonight.
However, the storm remains a tropical storm with winds measuring at 70 mph.
Mobile officials say the storm is expected to make landfall in west Mobile County around 10 p.m. Tuesday night. Residents should take necessary precautions.
Officials do not expect the storm to strengthen. Mobile County remains under Hurricane and Flash Flood warnings and a Tornado watch.
