Less than a year after being battered by three named storms, Dauphin Island is once again keeping a wary eye on the Gulf of Mexico as a disturbance organizes over the basin and threatens to bring heavy rain to the Alabama coast.
The barrier island spent much of 2020 cleaning up after Tropical Storm Cristobal, Hurricane Sally and Hurricane Zeta, and Mayor Jeff Collier said the town had nearly finished that work when the new threat appeared.
“We’ve just about gotten all of that behind us now. There are still some things that haven’t been done. Obviously we would like to see anything other than another possible storm heading our way,” Collier said.
West End Beach had just reopened in May after months of storm-related cleanup, but town crews have already started pulling equipment back from vulnerable areas. Beach mats and other items have been moved off the West End, and the town has put its contractor on standby in case sand has to be moved or water pumped out after the system passes.
Collier stressed there was no cause for alarm yet, noting the outcome could range from little impact to significant rain. Officials are simply asking residents and visitors to stay weather-aware while the disturbance tracks toward the northern Gulf.
Visitors on the island said they were watching the forecast but planned to enjoy the beach while conditions allowed.