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Ida: Category 2 storm moving north towards central Gulf coast
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National Hurrricane Center / noon Sun 8 Nov 2009
“Ida”, which was upgraded to hurricane status at midnight Texas time (CST) Sunday morning (Nov. 8th), continues to defy predictions. It has strengthened to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100mph. It is moving NNW-10mph as of late Sunday morning.
The core of the storm passed some 100 miles to east of Cozumel earlier Sunday; sparing the resort island a direct hit from this system. Rough weather can be expected to develop along the central Gulf coast during the day Monday.
The hurricane is likely to weaken as it moves over much cooler waters in the northern Gulf. It will also encounter increasingly hostile upper-level winds.
These factors suggest the sustained hurricane force winds are expected to die off before it makes landfall. However, “Ida” will probably still contain gusts to hurricane force, and it will be rough ride for Mississippi, Alabama and western Florida.
New Orleans should remain on the weaker western wide of Ida with no major damage expected, but very heavy rainfall may create some flooding issues. Of course, a slight deviation to the west would bring the core closer to the city and increase the risk of high winds.
Very heavy rainfall and tropical storm force wind will whip up the sea and a storm surge of 4-8 feet is possible along ad to the east of the center.
The system will become absorbed with a frontal zone about the time it reaches the Gulf coast. It will generate a lot of rain along the mid Atlantic states as it accelerates northeastward by Wednesday.
Image courtesy CNN.com / 1030 Sun 8 Nov 2009
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