From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
This article will be updated as needed.
TRUSSVILLE —UPDATE – Monday 7 a.m. – Irma is now Tropical Storm Irma, but is still producing wind gusts near hurricane force, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is still over Florida moving toward south Georgia and then into Alabama.
ORIGINAL UPDATE – 5:42 a.m. – The latest information from the National Weather Service finds Jefferson, St. Clair and Blount counties all under watches and weather as Irma continues in our general direction. She is now a category 2 hurricane.
All county schools in Jefferson, St. Clair, and Blount are close on Monday and Tuesday. Trussville City Schools are closed Monday and will make a decision on closing Tuesday by 3 p.m. on Monday.
St. Clair and Blount counties – Tropical Storm Warning: This warning id in effect from now (Monday 5 a.m.) until further notice.
Tropical storm warnings are issued when winds are expected to be in the 30-50 mph range, with the potential for gusts to 55-70 mph across higher elevations.
Persons in the warning area should take precautions now to secure anything that may be impacted by high winds and plan to move to substantial shelter. Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury. Move to safe shelter before the wind becomes hazardous.
Expect damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and mobile homes. Trees, tree limbs and power poles could be susceptible o the high winds, as well.
Jefferson County – Wind Advisory: This advisory is in effect from non on Monday until 1 a.m. on Tuesday.
Expect sustained winds of 20 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour.
These winds could snap tree limbs, damage unsecured objects and cause power outages. Driving could be hazardous, especially for high profile vehicles such as 18-wheelers and buses.