Sunday, November 8, 2009

Ida Still Going Strong

Maximum sustained winds are now 100 mph near the center of Ida. It is moving to the north/northwest at 10 mph and should make landfall near the Alabama coast on Monday night.


It will be moving over the warm Gulf waters, however, it will also encounter wind shear during this time. So it doesn't look like it should strengthen much more. Ida will quickly weaken once it moves inland on Tuesday.

Ida Now A Hurricane

Ida's maximum sustained winds are now 90 mph, making it a category one hurricane. The oranges you see on the satellite loop below indicates robust thunderstorm development around the center of Ida - usually a good gauge of storm strength. You can also spot a slight circulation, especially in the middle of the loop.