Add Your Photos | Ask a question | Live Video Weather Coverage | Hurricane Guide

Ida Wrap Up

Posted Nov 10, 2009 by Megan Hatton

Updated Nov 10, 2009 at 01:06 PM

Ida began its journey Wednesday, November 4th as Tropical Depression 11 forming in the southwestern Caribbean Sea. Later in the day the disturbance strengthened into Tropical Storm Ida, the ninth tropical storm of the 2009 season. Ida strengthened further, reaching hurricane status before battering parts of Honduras and Nicaragua with heavy rain. After making landfall the storm weakened to a depression but became stronger after entering the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Although Ida regained hurricane status again the system made landfall as a tropical storm around 7 AM EST on Dauphin Island Alabama. As Ida moved onshore the storm rapidly became extratropical and all tropical-related watches and warnings were discontinued.

The remnants of Ida will bring heavy rains to parts of Southeast and persistent gusty conditions for the bay area through Friday. A cold front will move through the area Wednesday morning and may bring the threat for damaging wind and heavy rain. Cooler and drier air will build in behind the front by late week.

While Ida was a late-season storm, November tropical systems aren’t too extraordinary. Extraordinarily though, Florida has experienced every November U.S. landfalling hurricane since 1900! We haven’t seen a November landfalling hurricane traverse the Gulf since Kate in 1985, but Tropical Storms Keith and Mitch both landed ashore in southwest Florida in 1988 and 1998 respectively.

The traditional hurricane season comes to a close December 1st but remember that tropical systems don’t keep a calendar.  They can happen any time of the year!