Neighbor's tree lands on Mary Ellen Naylor's house.

by Catherine Bulger

Hurricane Sally blew through Mobile, Alabama, on Wednesday. Though most branch members lost power and many of their properties sustained minor damage—with fallen trees and shingles blown off, brothers and sisters are praising God that everyone is safe.

With a wind speed of 105 mph, Sally made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane early Wednesday morning, near Gulf Shores, Alabama. Mobile is 40 miles northwest of Gulf Shores and sits at the north end of Mobile Bay which opens into the Gulf of Mexico. Fortunately for Mobile, the winds shifted slightly, pushing water from Mobile Bay out towards the ocean instead of flooding the city. 

The hurricane, traveling at just two miles per hour, stalled over the region for many hours. In Mobile, lights began to flick out on Tuesday night, and by Wednesday morning Alabama Power reported over 175,000 customers without power in the area. Mobile ultimately received about five inches of rain and wind gusts of up to 82 mph, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service. Meanwhile, Orange Beach, AL, southeast of Mobile, was deluged with nearly 30 inches, as was Pensacola, FL. “Mobile really dodged a bullet,” said branch member Lydia Gaudet. 

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