Ida A Little Weaker Monday Morning

Hurricane Ida was downgraded early Monday morning to a Category One storm with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph. Overnight the storm began encountering greater wind shear (different wind speeds/directions at different heights in the atmosphere), which disrupted the organization of the system. Also, the northern Gulf waters are cooler, and will mean less energy to fuel the hurricane. However, Ida should still be a Category One hurricane when it makes landfall after midnight Tuesday near the Alabama Gulf Coastline. By Wednesday, the remnants of Ida will be absorbed into a cold front and upper-level system sweeping into the Southeast. Strong high pressure looks like it will settle into Virginia behind that upper U.S. system mid-week, and that would prevent Ida's remnants from heading to Virginia.

However, if the timing of the U.S. front changes, then Ida would continue to track northeast through the Carolinas and significantly impact Virginia's weather mid-week.

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.