Hurricane Ida Ongoing Chase Updates

November 8, 2009 – Currently en-route to the Florida Panhandle for Hurricane Ida chase. It’s not known if she will remain fully tropical at the time of nearing, and/or making landfall along the Northern Gulf coast. But, I decided it would be a close enough call to justify making the trip, plus, this being the only possible hurricane landfall of the 2009 season. Nevertheless, there will be likely strong winds and heavy rains regardless if she’s a true tropical cyclone, or transitioning into a extratropical system.

LIVE UPDATES BELOW: I will update this blog post throughout my chase to make it easier on me. So refer back to this page for further updates on the road, and watch for new video updates in the right side video player. Thanks – Jeff Gammons

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Update: 11/11/09 9:42am ET - Back home in South Florida after our 36 hour chase to Pensacola Beach for Tropical Storm Ida. I’d have to say the most impressive part of Ida, had to be the very large waves about 12 hours before she reached the coast. I will be posting pictures and video in the coming day or two, and I’ll post a link to them here. Otherwise, this is the last update on this page concerning Ida.

Update: 11/10/09 8:50am ET – A very disorganized Tropical Storm Ida, made landfall along the Alabama coast just to our west, with 45mph winds. The winds are onshore here now in Pensacola, and the Gulf is extremely rough. Were going to get some breakfast down stairs, and then head back down to the water for some last minute video and pictures. After that, back on the highway eastbound, and then south towards home in South Florida. I’ll post a Tropical Storm Ida picture gallery once back home of the last 24 hours of our adventures here in Pensacola Beach.

Update: 11/10/09 12:31am ET - Tropical Storm Ida continues to weaken, remains just offshore the Alabama and Florida coasts. In the last two hours, we have started to receive low-end tropical storm force winds, along with very heavy rainfall here on Pensacola Beach. A heavy band of rain on the northern side of Ida, has been stationary dumping 2-3 inches of rain and hour. The winds have also become more sustained with embedded gusts, but nothing to impressive. Going to get a few hours of sleep, and get up once the onshore flow takes over here on the beach.

Update: 11/9/09 6:36pm ET - We’ve taken the last few hours to relax here on Pensacola Beach in our 3rd floor room at the Hampton Inn beachside. There are thunderous crashing waves just out the window, and the winds are becoming a little more sustained. Looking at radar, some of the last few scans maybe show that Ida may be beginning to make the north-northeast turn towards the Alabama / Florida border. I will be heading out on foot in the next hour, as she looks to make landfall sooner than first thought. It should be a interesting next 6-8 hours here in Pensacola Beach.

Update: 11/9/09 12:02pm - Kersten and I have been around Pensacola Beach, FL the last several hours shooting (AS SEEN ABOVE) some video and pictures of the large swells. Went out to the end of the Pensacola Beach pier to shoot impressive large waves pounding the coastline. Tropical Storm Ida continues to weaken, but still expecting Tropical Storm force winds this evening and heavy rains.

Update: 11/9/09 4:47am ET - Passing Crestview, FL in the Panhandle. Ida Satellite looking much weaker, and looks like cooler water and wind shear are now slowly weakening her as expected. Still en-route though.

Update: 11/8/09 10:40pm ET - Passing central Florida northbound. Learned that Hurricane Warnings now active along the northern gulf coast.

Update: 11/8/09 8:37pm ET - I have departed South-Central Florida, and currently on the road towards the Florida western Panhandle.

Update: 11/8/09 7:19pm ET - Everything is packed and ready to go. Having dinner and then heading out northbound towards the Florida Panhandle.

Late Season Tropical Storm Ida Forms Southwest Caribbean

November 4, 2009 – Tropical Storm Ida organizing in the southwestern Caribbean Sea this afternoon. A recent reconnaissance flight into the Tropical Depression, found winds that have now increased into the moderate Tropical Storm force range. Tropical Storm Ida has winds of 60mph with higher gusts, and slowly moving west-northwest around 6mph. Visible satellite loop trends throughout the day, have showed a fairly organized system, with nice banding of deep convection. I’m surprised that recon found an already impressive 60mph tropical storm with a pressure reading of 996mb. What would we do without solid data from recon missions.

A lot is up in the air about the future track and strength of Ida. If she continues to slowly track a little more west-northwestward, she will remain very close to the Nicaragua coastline, and is forecast to move inland overnight and on Thursday. This would significantly affect the strength, and sustaining of a organized system, especially once it moves fully over land. Right now I’m more focused on it’s future track over the next 48 hours, while interacting with Central American. It is forecast to track out into the western Caribbean and slowly re-intensify.

Models are in agreement in bringing Ida northwestward into the western Caribbean Sea, and possibly the Gulf of Mexico as well. It’s way to early to know for sure if Ida would even make it that far north with some of the land obstacles ahead of her. I’m watching very closely as this late season Tropical Storm is positioned south of Florida in November. It will be interesting to track and see what she does into this weekend. Stay tuned!