Hurricane Sally threatens Gulf Coast with a slow drenching

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hurricane Sally is closing in on the Louisiana-Mississippi coast with rapidly strengthening winds of at least 90 mph and the potential for as much as 2 feet of rain that could bring severe flooding.

It is one of five storms lined up as if on a conveyor belt across the Atlantic.

Storm-weary Gulf Coast residents are rushing to buy bottled water and other supplies ahead of Sally, which is expected to reach Louisiana’s southeastern tip around daybreak Tuesday and make its way northward into Mississippi on a path that could menace the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Sally will spread showers in the Carolinas late this week.

Hurricane Paulette is over Bermuda and Rene, Teddy and now Vicky are spinning over ocean waters.