Mobile, AL tunnel

[BGLogistics]

Heading back to OK from Panama City Beach this evening/tonight. Figure night travel thru Mobile on I-10 WB maybe won't be backed up for miles. If it rains as heavy as possibly predicted, can or does that ever close the tunnel on I-10? Seems it would require a massive pump system to keep clear. Better options if we can get thru Mobile. Don't want to go thru Memphis/I-40 route as that bridge is closed and traffic re-routed over Mississippi River on I-55 - which apparently is a cluster. Thx.

[ziaptrn]

Please take this for what it is worth...my opinion.
I am originally from that area and lived there for many, many years. I have NEVER seen or heard of the tunnel closing due to rain. At least what we call the "new" tunnel. The old one still is there, and it used to flood.

A quick look at the forecast calls for rain tonight, expecting 2-3 inches total in Mobile, AL.
I *have* seen the interstate closed (I10) before and after the tunnel due to excessive flooding, but that has always been from weeks of heavy rain further north when all of the tributaries are swollen and overflowing - and eventually the freeway floods. Completely. I've seen it impassable due to floods when the tunnel was open but you couldn't get to the tunnel. That was never due to local rain by itself, however, and always complicated by high water volume in the rivers & tributaries. The Mobile river is at also 8 feet right now, and won't begin to overflow until 12 feet. 4 feet in stage would take rain bordering on apocalyptic to flood at this point in time.

That said - I'm at that age and vintage where I do not like driving at night or in the rain, but certainly have done so. I just really don't enjoy my slowly decreasing night vision as I age. Sigh.

I would say go ahead and go and you should be fine. The possible tropical storm may not make it to Mobile. Here is a link to the projected path of the storm, and it looks to cross over New Orleans, LA and then SW Mississippi and not even near your area of concern.

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/refresh/graphics_at3+shtml/174321.shtml?gm_track#contents

Just my opinion...others may vary!

Safe travels....

John

[BGLogistics]

John thanks for that info! We did go thru it about 10pm - I think about 3 other vehicles were visible ahead of me - least traffic I've ever experienced there. I wanted to go on to/thru Baton Rouge and further - Lisa was watching forecast and it was showing "tropical storm warning" thru there (BR) around 0245 am - about when we'd get there. What an experience it would be to cross the Mississippi River bridge during a tropical storm!! She wanted no part of it tho - we went north on 45 to Meridian, MS.

[ziaptrn]

Wise choice not to drive in to a tropical storm driving a roughly 12' tall 45' long box. It does sound like some really heavy rain and some flooding in Louisiana where the storm came ashore. Thanks for posting that you made it through safely. The drive from Meridian is not bad.
Safe travels....
John