Infrared Rainbow Satellite loop, Wednesday afternoon (NOAA)

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• Tropical Storm Ida (Public Statement)

A low pressure area in the southwestern Caribbean has developed from a tropical depression this morning into the 9th named storm of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane Season this afternoon.

Tropical Storm Ida was located less than 50 miles northeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua and was moving to the northwest near 7 mph with maximum sustained winds near 65 mph and higher gusts up to 75 mph.

Tropical storm force winds extended outward from the center 50 miles.

 Some further intensification of this system is possible before landfall overnight along the east coast of Nicaragua as a strong tropical storm and or minimum category 1 hurricane.

Ida could produce life-threatening floods and mudslides over eastern Nicaragua and eastern Honduras with maximum rainfall amounts of 25 inches possible. 

National Hurricane Center Discussion: 

Satellite images show that although convection has weakened this afternoon, the overall cloud pattern continues to be well-organized with strong bands in the northern semicircle of the system.  

An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance plane found maximum flight-level winds of 53 kt, SFMR winds of 48 kt, and a falling minimum central pressure of 996 mb.  This data supports an initial wind speed of about 50 kt, and thus the system has been named Ida.  

Although environmental conditions favor strengthening, Ida does not have much more time left before it moves over Nicaragua. 

In a few days, the atmospheric environment could allow for some re-intensification of the system over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

However,  it is entirely possible that the tropical cyclone could dissipate over the higher terrain of Central America.

Forecast Track:

As mentioned above, Tropical Storm Ida is expected to make landfall overnight along the east coast of Nicaragua, emerging back out over the southwestern Caribbean by Sunday -according to the National Hurricane Center 5 day track.

Thereafter, whatever is left of this system could possibly re-intensify into a tropical storm as it slowly moves north toward the Gulf of Mexico.

(NHC-5 day track)

The track of the system will likely change over the next several days, but climatologically speaking, the likely tracks of tropical systems that develop in the Caribbean this late in the hurricane season and or during the month of November are to the northeast over Cuba and out into the Atlantic Ocean. 

Regardless, everyone living along the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Coasts should stay updated on the latest weather information concerning Tropical Storm Ida as it becomes available.