Tuesday night’s fierce winds, heavy rain and crackling lightning are the blueprint for the coming days’ weather, said Covington County Emergency Management Agency Director Susan Carpenter.

Carpenter said there were reports of damage, including the collapse of a garage in Opp; however, the most frightening aspect of the storm was the lightning.

“It was very severe (Tuesday) night,” she said. “The same thing (was) expected for Wednesday night and Thursday night. Mobile Weather Service is reporting that the nighttime scattered thunderstorms can drop 1 ½ to 3 inches of rain per hour in these systems, which means there is a chance for some flash flooding.”

Carpenter said the rain “will lighten up” closer to the weekend, but will increase on Sunday with more of the same scattered thunderstorms and lightning.

“And on top of that, as many people are aware, the tropics are picking up,” she said. “There are two depressions out there right now and a third one that has forecasters pretty concerned (about a possible hurricane). The forecast is showing that we need to watch that one. We’re still a week out from knowing what direction it’s going to take, but we’re watching it closely.”

Carpenter said this is the time of year when hurricane activity “starts picking up.”

“This should serve as a warning to all of us to get prepared for hurricane season,” she said. “It’s time to work on those hurricane kits and make sure you have your weather radios or some way to receive weather information.”

For more information on how to prepare a hurricane kit or other preparation-related issues, visit www.redcross.org.