Alabama, 2008

Tropical Storm in Alabama, September 1, 2008

September 1, 2008 · NWS MOB · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Hurricane Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the coastal areas of southwest Alabama on September 1.

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MOB wrote it up.

Hurricane Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the coastal areas of southwest Alabama on September 1.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Mobile, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 31, 7:59 PM CST, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 7:59 PM CST, 4 hours 1 minute before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOBILE AL
900 PM PM CDT SUN AUG 31 2008

.UPDATE...TOR WATCH 876 ISSUED FOR COUNTIES ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE
EAST/WEST AL/FL STATE LINE AND NEAR SHORE ZONES/MOBILE BAY. THIS
WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM MONDAY AS THE FEEDER BANDS OF GUSTAV
MOVE ONSHORE.

16

&&

.MOB WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...HURRICANE WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...UPPER BALDWIN...AND UPPER
     MOBILE.

     FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM MONDAY TO 7 PM TUESDAY FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: LOWER BALDWIN...LOWER MOBILE...UPPER
     BALDWIN...UPPER MOBILE...AND WASHINGTON.

     TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO 1 AM TUESDAY
     FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: AND WASHINGTON.

FL...TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: COASTAL ESCAMBIA...COASTAL OKALOOSA...COASTAL SANTA
     ROSA...COASTAL WALTON...INLAND ESCAMBIA...INLAND OKALOOSA...
     AND INLAND SANTA ROSA.

MS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 AM MONDAY TO 7 PM TUESDAY FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND
     WAYNE.

     TROPICAL STORM WIND WARNING FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO 1 AM TUESDAY
     FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: GEORGE...GREENE...PERRY...STONE...AND
     WAYNE.

GM...HURRICANE WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
     COASTAL WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO PASCAGOULA MS OUT 20
     NM...MOBILE BAY...AND WATERS FROM PENSACOLA FL TO
     PASCAGOULA MS FROM 20 TO 60 NM.

     TROPICAL STORM WARNING UNTIL 9 PM MONDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: COASTAL WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL OUT 20
     NM...AND WATERS FROM DESTIN TO PENSACOLA FL FROM 20 TO 60
     NM.

&&

Event by event

4 tropical storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Tropical Storm, Lower Mobile

When
September 1, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Lower Mobile forecast zone
Reported by
Buoy

Hurricane Gustav moved south and west of southwest Alabama. Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the area that began the end of August and continued into September 1. The highest winds were observed during the morning of September 1. The buoy at Dauphin Island had a sustained wind of 41 MPH with a gust of 59 MPH. The tropical storm force winds also extended over the coastal waters where no observing stations are located. It was estimated that a couple of places north of the coast in southwest Alabama probably saw tropical storm force winds but the winds occurred where no gages were located. No damages were observed from the winds. Most of the damage that occurred for Gustav was from the storm surge. The berm on Dauphin Island was washed away. Heavy rains also occurred over Mobile and Baldwin counties and this along with the high tides caused flooding of Bayou Sara, the Dog river, Dauphin Island, Bayou La Batre and along the causeway. Several major roads in these areas were closed due to high water. Damage estimates from the surge and flooding was $4.5B with most of this on Dauphin Island. The surge heights were estimated at 4-7 feet. Rainfall estimates across most of the area were 5-9 inches. A hurricane warning continued in effect for the area from the end of August until September 1 at 300 AM CST. A tropical storm warning was then issued and remained in effect until 900 PM CST on September 1 when the warning was dropped.

Tropical Storm, Lower Baldwin

When
September 1, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Lower Baldwin forecast zone
Reported by
Buoy

Hurricane Gustav moved south and west of southwest Alabama. Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the area that began the end of August and continued into September 1. The highest winds were observed during the morning of September 1. The buoy at Dauphin Island had a sustained wind of 41 MPH with a gust of 59 MPH. The tropical storm force winds also extended over the coastal waters where no observing stations are located. It was estimated that a couple of places north of the coast in southwest Alabama probably saw tropical storm force winds but the winds occurred where no gages were located. No damages were observed from the winds. Most of the damage that occurred for Gustav was from the storm surge. The berm on Dauphin Island was washed away. Heavy rains also occurred over Mobile and Baldwin counties and this along with the high tides caused flooding of Bayou Sara, the Dog river, Dauphin Island, Bayou La Batre and along the causeway. Several major roads in these areas were closed due to high water. Damage estimates from the surge and flooding was $4.5B with most of this on Dauphin Island. The surge heights were estimated at 4-7 feet. Rainfall estimates across most of the area were 5-9 inches. One weak tornado was reported near the coast. A hurricane warning continued in effect for the area from the end of August until September 1 at 300 AM CST. A tropical storm warning was then issued and remained in effect until 900 PM CST on September 1 when the warning was dropped.

Tropical Storm, Upper Baldwin

When
September 1, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Upper Baldwin forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Hurricane Gustav moved south and west of southwest Alabama. Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the area that began the end of August and continued into September 1. The highest winds were observed during the morning of September 1. The buoy at Dauphin Island had a sustained wind of 41 MPH with a gust of 59 MPH. The tropical storm force winds also extended over the coastal waters where no observing stations are located. It was estimated that a couple of places north of the coast in southwest Alabama probably saw tropical storm force winds but the winds occurred where no gages were located. No damages were observed from the winds. Most of the damage that occurred for Gustav was from the storm surge. The berm on Dauphin Island was washed away. Heavy rains also occurred over Mobile and Baldwin counties and this along with the high tides caused flooding of Bayou Sara, the Dog river, Dauphin Island, Bayou La Batre and along the causeway. Several major roads in these areas were closed due to high water. Damage estimates from the surge and flooding was $4.5B with most of this on Dauphin Island. The surge heights were estimated at 4-7 feet. Rainfall estimates across most of the area were 5-9 inches. A hurricane warning continued in effect for the area from the end of August until September 1 at 300 AM CST. A tropical storm warning was then issued and remained in effect until 900 PM CST on September 1 when the warning was dropped.

Tropical Storm, Upper Mobile

When
September 1, 12:00 AM CST to 12:00 PM CST
Where
Upper Mobile forecast zone
Reported by
Mesonet

Hurricane Gustav moved south and west of southwest Alabama. Gustav brought tropical storm force winds to the area that began the end of August and continued into September 1. The highest winds were observed during the morning of September 1. The buoy at Dauphin Island had a sustained wind of 41 MPH with a gust of 59 MPH. The tropical storm force winds also extended over the coastal waters where no observing stations are located. It was estimated that a couple of places north of the coast in southwest Alabama probably saw tropical storm force winds but the winds occurred where no gages were located. No damages were observed from the winds. Most of the damage that occurred for Gustav was from the storm surge. The berm on Dauphin Island was washed away. Heavy rains also occurred over Mobile and Baldwin counties and this along with the high tides caused flooding of Bayou Sara, the Dog river, Dauphin Island, Bayou La Batre and along the causeway. Several major roads in these areas were closed due to high water. Damage estimates from the surge and flooding was $4.5B with most of this on Dauphin Island. The surge heights were estimated at 4-7 feet. Rainfall estimates across most of the area were 5-9 inches. A hurricane warning continued in effect for the area from the end of August until September 1 at 300 AM CST. A tropical storm warning was then issued and remained in effect until 900 PM CST on September 1 when the warning was dropped.

What these are

Tropical Storm
A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73 mph).

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Alabama in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Alabama, September 2008The 2008 hurricane season

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 134504, 134505, 134506, 134507.