With the massive cloud system from Hurricane Ida covering all of Alabama and most of Mississippi to the west, forecasters kept up the alert Monday for possible widespread flooding as the storm — downgraded to a tropical depression — made its way northward after leaving devastation along the Gulf coast.

The Huntsville office of the National Weather Service advised locally heavy rain and flash flooding would be possible all Tuesday, as the system continues to churn up Gulf moisture on its track to the northeast. Cullman EMA director Phyllis Little said rainfall totals of 2’’ to 3’’ are expected across Cullman County, though higher amounts — along with possible spinup tornadoes — could occur locally.

“There’s always that possibility with these kinds of tropical storm bands,” said Little. They’re capable of spinning up some small tornadoes, with very little or no notice, as they move through. People just need to be weather alert all day on Tuesday and overnight. This isn’t like a front that’s moving through, where you can pick out those areas that are beginning to rotate. Those tropical bands are rotating already, and it’s kind of the luck of the draw as to where the worst weather can hit.”

The weather service has issued a flood watch for all of north Alabama and southern middle Tennessee through late Tuesday night, including all of Cullman County. All Cullman County Schools campuses will be closed Tuesday, as students and staff carry out their activities remotely. Wallace State Community College will also be closed due to the severe weather threat.

In addition to heavy rain and locally heavy storms, Ida’s remnants also carry steady winds expected to range from 10-16 mph throughout the day, with local gusts also expected. “The ground has dried out since our last heavy rain, but in just a short period of time, it’ll saturate the ground pretty quickly once more,” Little advised. “It would not take a lot of wind, in those conditions, to start bringing trees down.”

Little said that none of the affected hurricane areas farther to the south had so far put out the call for mutual aid assistance from Cullman County responders. She also said no coordinated volunteer response effort had been communicated through the state EMA office, and urged anyone wishing to pitch in to help storm victims in Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Alabama to do so by donating money through a trusted aid organization.

“We did get emails from the state EMA advising people not to donate items, because the people who need those things currently don’t have anywhere to put them,” she explained. “Instead, people just need to look for a group they’re aligned with and can feel confident in, and make cash donations through them. That will allow those organizations to provide the stuff that’s actually needed in terms of personal items. Donating a gift card that allows people to get their own needed supplies is also preferable.

“Many of the people who need that kind of help are going to need it even months from now,” she added. “But right now, for many of them, their homes are underwater. Collecting and distributing donated items is a much bigger challenge and requires more manpower than a cash donation, which is cost-effective and more efficient by being available where it’s most needed.”