FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Crude oil from the Deepwater Horizon has reached the Alabama coast. Gooey, weathered oil made landfall along Dauphin Island on Tuesday, and the Fort Morgan peninsula and perhaps even Gulf Shores were expected to receive weathered oil after press time on Wednesday or possibly today.
Moderate south to southwest winds this week are moving the oil closer toward the Alabama and Mississippi coasts. The forecast by NOAA officials was the first suggesting landfall was imminent, and on its current track the oil could also threaten Mobile Bay.
NOAA modeling, however, suggests that the sheen approaching the bay might be prevented from entering at present because of a strong 6-7 knot tidal movement, combined with heavy outflow from upstate rivers fed by recent heavy rains.
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