Hurricane season started in May of 2020, with the first hurricane to make landfall in Mississippi expected to be Hurricane Marco. Tropical Storm Laura is also headed towards the Gulf Coast and is also possibly making landfall in Mississippi.

For information on hurricane preparedness, please check www.msema.org  to stay updated on hurricanes and how the state is responding to the hurricanes. A preparedness pamphlet can also be found on the website, giving information on what is needed for an emergency kit, what to do with pets, information on storms and an evacuation map.

For students and faculty at The University of Southern Mississippi, Eagle Alerts will give additional information about campus and Southern Miss-related organization closures, potential flood zones on campus and what kind of weather can be expected from the storm. 

An Eagle Alert was sent out on Aug. 23, advising students and faculty to follow official sources of weather information for ongoing updates about Hurricane Marco and Tropical Storm Laura. 

The National Weather Service is currently predicting Hurricane Marco to make landfall Monday afternoon, with high winds, heavy rain and storm surge being the greatest threat to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Threats to Hattiesburg include the potential for high winds and flash flooding. The Eagle Alert said tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Tropical Storm Laura is expected to strengthen to a hurricane and make landfall near the Texas/Louisiana border.

The Eagle Alert told motorists on the Hattiesburg campus to be aware of these locations, as they can potentially flood:      

• Pine Haven Drive around Sorority Village
• Montague Boulevard between Kay James Drive and Ross Boulevard
• 10 parking spaces on the south end of Fraternity Drive (on the west side of the street) at Montague Boulevard
• West 4th Street between Golden Eagle Avenue and Eagle Walk
• Southern Miss Drive between 30th and 31st Avenues
• Ray Guy Way at Century Park South/Spirit Park
• South end of Kay James Drive at Montague Boulevard, next to the DuBard School
• Trent Lott Center West Lot, next to M.M. Roberts Stadium
• Ray Guy Way at Eagle Walk, by the raised crosswalk
• Parking area at the southwest corner of McCarty Hall

To stay up-to-date with incoming weather, subscribing to the Eagle Alert update system will send emails and texts to keep students and faculty up-to-date. For more information, students and faculty and contact the University Police Department at 601-266-4986.