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Track The Tropics has been the #1 source to track the tropics 24/7 since 2013! The main goal of the site is to bring all of the important links and graphics to ONE PLACE so you can keep up to date on any threats to land during the Atlantic Hurricane Season! Hurricane Season 2024 in the Atlantic starts on June 1st and ends on November 30th. Do you love Spaghetti Models? Well you've come to the right place!! Remember when you're preparing for a storm: Run from the water; hide from the wind!

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Category Wind Speed Storm Surge
  mph ft
5 ≥157 >18
4 130–156 13–18
3 111–129 9–12
2 96–110 6–8
1 74–95 4–5
Additional Classifications
Tropical Storm 39–73 0–3
Tropical Depression 0–38 0
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a classification used for most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of "tropical depressions" and "tropical storms", and thereby become hurricanes. Source: Intellicast

Hurricane Season 101

The official Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season runs from June 1st to November 30th.

A tropical cyclone is a warm-core, low pressure system without any “front” attached. It develops over tropical or subtropical waters, and has an organized circulation. Depending upon location, tropical cyclones have different names around the world. The Tropical Cyclones we track in the Atlantic basin are called Tropical Depressions, Tropical Storms and Hurricanes!

Atlantic Basin Tropical Cyclones are classified as follows:

Tropical Depression: Organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with defined surface circulation and max sustained winds of 38 mph or less.

Tropical Storm: Organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph.

Hurricane: Intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation. A Hurricane has max sustained winds of 74 mph or higher!

The difference between Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watches, Warnings, Advisories and Outlooks

Warnings:Listen closely to instructions from local officials on TV, radio, cell phones or other computers for instructions from local officials.Evacuate immediately if told to do so.

  • Storm Surge Warning: There is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area. This is generally within 36 hours. If you are under a storm surge warning, check for evacuation orders from your local officials.
  • Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are expected somewhere within the specified area. NHC issues a hurricane warning 36 hours in advance of tropical storm-force winds to give you time to complete your preparations. All preparations should be complete. Evacuate immediately if so ordered.
  • Tropical Storm Warning: Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within your area within 36 hours.
  • Extreme Wind Warning: Extreme sustained winds of a major hurricane (115 mph or greater), usually associated with the eyewall, are expected to begin within an hour. Take immediate shelter in the interior portion of a well-built structure.

Please note that hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings for winds on land as well as storm surge watches and warnings can be issued for storms that the NWS believes will become tropical cyclones but have not yet attained all of the characteristics of a tropical cyclone (i.e., a closed low-level circulation, sustained thunderstorm activity, etc.). In these cases, the forecast conditions on land warrant alerting the public. These storms are referred to as “potential tropical cyclones” by the NWS.
Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches and warnings can also be issued for storms that have lost some or all of their tropical cyclone characteristics, but continue to produce dangerous conditions. These storms are called “post-tropical cyclones” by the NWS.

Watches: Listen closely to instructions from local officials on TV, radio, cell phones or other computers for instructions from local officials. Evacuate if told to do so.

  • Storm Surge Watch: Storm here is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 48 hours. If you are under a storm surge watch, check for evacuation orders from your local officials.
  • Hurricane Watch: Huriricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are possible within your area. Because it may not be safe to prepare for a hurricane once winds reach tropical storm force, The NHC issues hurricane watches 48 hours before it anticipates tropical storm-force winds.
  • Tropical Storm Watch: Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours.

Advisories:

  • Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory:The Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory contains a list of all current coastal watches and warnings associated with an ongoing or potential tropical cyclone, a post-tropical cyclone, or a subtropical cyclone. It also provides the cyclone position, maximum sustained winds, current motion, and a description of the hazards associated with the storm.
  • Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast Cone:This graphic shows areas under tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings, the current position of the center of the storm, and its predicted track. Forecast uncertainty is conveyed on the graphic by a “cone” (white and stippled areas) drawn such that the center of the storm will remain within the cone about 60 to 70 percent of the time. Remember, the effects of a tropical cyclone can span hundreds of miles. Areas well outside of the cone often experience hazards such as tornadoes or inland flooding from heavy rain.

Outlooks:

  • Tropical Weather Outlook:The Tropical Weather Outlook is a discussion of significant areas of disturbed weather and their potential for development during the next 5 days. The Outlook includes a categorical forecast of the probability of tropical cyclone formation during the first 48 hours and during the entire 5-day forecast period. You can also find graphical versions of the 2-day and 5-day Outlook here

Be sure to read up on tons of more information on Hurricane knowledge, preparedness, statistics and history under the menu on the left hand side of the page!

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Hurricane Sally Archive – 2020 Hurricane Season

Hurricane Sally
Hurricane Sally rapidly intensifying before landfall in Alabama on September 16
Meteorological history
FormedSeptember 11, 2020
ExtratropicalSeptember 17, 2020
DissipatedSeptember 18, 2020
Category 2 hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds110 mph (175 km/h)
Lowest pressure965 mbar (hPa); 28.50 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities9 (4 direct, 5 indirect)
Damage$7.3 billion (2020 USD)
Areas affectedThe Bahamas, Cuba, U.S. Gulf Coast, Southeastern United States
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata

Part of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Sally was a destructive and slow-moving tropical cyclone that was the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of Alabama since Ivan in 2004, coincidentally on the same date in the same place. The eighteenth named storm and seventh hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Sally developed from an area of disturbed weather which was first monitored over the Bahamas on September 10. The system grew a broad area of low-pressure on September 11, and was designated as a tropical depression late that day. Early the next day, the depression made landfall at Key Biscayne and subsequently strengthened into Tropical Storm Sally that afternoon. Moderate northwesterly shear prevented significant intensification for the first two days, but convection continued to grow towards the center and Sally slowly intensified. On September 14, a center reformation into the center of the convection occurred, and data from a hurricane hunter reconnaissance aircraft showed that Sally had rapidly intensified into a strong Category 1 hurricane. However, an increase in wind shear and upwelling of colder waters halted the intensification and Sally weakened slightly on September 15 before turning slowly northeastward. Despite this increase in wind shear, it unexpectedly re-intensified, reaching Category 2 status early on September 16 before making landfall at peak intensity at 09:45 UTC on September 16, near Gulf Shores, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (180 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 965 millibars (28.5 inHg).[1][2] The storm rapidly weakened after landfall before transitioning into an extratropical low at 12:00 UTC the next day. Sally's remnants lasted for another day as they moved off the coast of the Southeastern United States before being absorbed into another extratropical storm on September 18.

Numerous watches and warnings were issued in anticipation of the imminent approach of Sally, and several coastline counties and parishes on the Gulf Coast were evacuated. In South Florida, heavy rain led to localized flash flooding while the rest of peninsula saw continuous shower and thunderstorm activity due to the asymmetric structure of Sally. The area between Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola - Gulf Breeze, Florida took the brunt of the storm with widespread wind damage, storm surge flooding, and over 20 inches (510 mm) of rainfall in the first 24 hours and over 30 inches in 48 hours.[3] Numerous tornadoes also occurred as well. Damage is estimated at $7.3 billion (2020 USD).[4] Sally was the costliest of several destructive 2020 hurricanes whose names were not retired by the World Meteorological Organization following the season, along with Hanna, Isaias, Delta, and Zeta.[5][6]

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Toward the end of August 2020, a shortwave trough interacted with a decaying frontal boundary and led to the development of Tropical Storm Omar. This weak tropical cyclone later became embedded within a broad mid-level trough well to the north of Bermuda as it dissipated on September 5;[7] an extension of this trough propagated southwest as Omar moved over the North Atlantic. Over the next five days, the system remained disorganized as it approached the Bahamas.[1]: 3  The National Hurricane Center (NHC) first noted the potential for tropical cyclogenesis on September 9, anticipating the system to not become a tropical cyclone until reaching the Gulf of Mexico several days later.[8] A broad surface slow steadily coalesced with accompanying convection becoming more organized as the system approached the archipelago on September 11.[9] Contrary to the NHC's forecasts,[1]: 13  the system developed into a tropical depression, the nineteenth of the season, by 18:00 UTC that day while situated between Andros Island and Bimini in the Bahamas, or about 115 mi (185 km/h) east-southeast of Miami, Florida.[1]: 3  A subtropical ridge over the Southeastern United States steered the system generally west-northwest toward the Florida Peninsula.[10] Around 06:00 UTC on September 12, the depression made landfall near Cutler Bay, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h).[1]: 18  Within hours, multiple weather stations began recording sustained tropical storm-force winds and the system became Tropical Storm Sally by 12:00 UTC while situated over the Everglades.[1]: 3  This marked the earliest formation of a season's 18th named storm, surpassing the previous record of October 2 set in 2005 with Hurricane Stan.[11]

Tropical Storm Sally organizing over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico on September 13

As Sally emerged over the eastern Gulf of Mexico later on September 12, banding features became increasingly defined over the southern portion of its circulation.[12] One of these bands became somewhat stationary, pivoting over the Florida Keys and Florida Bay while producing heavy rainfall in the region.[13] As Sally rounded the southern edge of the ridge and turned west-northwest, modest wind shear inhibited significant intensification over the next day.[1]: 3  A prominent central dense overcast, displaced about 50–60 mi (85–95 km) from the circulation center, blossomed early on September 13.[14] A convergence zone along the backside of the storm became established over the Florida Peninsula within an environment highly favoring extreme rainfall rates.[15] A temporary reprieve in wind shear enabled Sally's core to become more vertically aligned and convective bursts occurred throughout the day into September 14.[1]: 3 [16][17] Following a burst of deep convection with tops colder than −112 °F (−80 °C),[18] Sally underwent a brief period of rapid intensification. Its winds increased to 85 mph (140 km/h) by 18:00 UTC at the end of this phase, constituting its initial peak intensity.[1]: 3  Nearby land-based Doppler weather radar depicted a developing mid- to upper-level eye within the hurricane's core at this time.[19] The northern outer bands of the hurricane began impacting the Florida Panhandle early on September 14, primarily along the coast of Apalachee Bay.[20] Rainfall continued to spread west into Alabama and slightly inland and its persistence led to soil saturation of 85 percent well-before the storm's core arrived.[21] Operationally, the NHC upgraded the storm to low-end Category 2 status at 21:00 UTC, but this was determined to be due to transient eyewall features and not a true estimate of the storm's intensity.[1]

Radar animation of Hurricane Sally on September 16–17 as it made landfall and moved across the Southeastern United States

By the start of September 15, steering currents collapsed and Sally largely stalled south of the Florida Panhandle and Mobile Bay with a slight drift west. A sudden increase in wind shear caused the hurricane's structure to degrade, with its core becoming asymmetric.[1]: 3–4  An intrusion of dry air caused the eye to open up to the south.[22] The hurricane's forward motion gradually shifted to the north and later north-northeast throughout the day as it approached the northwest side of a weak ridge.[23][24] Although wind shear did not abate, upper-level divergence increased significantly and enabled the hurricane to unexpectedly intensify as it approached the Alabama coastline.[1]: 4  Its eye became increasingly well-defined and aircraft observations revealed a major increase in both flight-level and surface winds;[25] elevated winds up to 131 mph (211 km/h) were detected by Doppler weather radar.[26] Convection around the core and in rainbands east of the center became more intense during this period. "Significant and life threatening flash flooding" began late on September 15 as rainfall intensified to rates up 3 in (76 mm) per hour along the coast, primarily between Gulf Shores, Alabama, and Destin, Florida.[27] The Weather Prediction Center soon described it as "catastrophic flash flooding" as accumulations exceeded 18 in (460 mm) within 24 hours with rainfall rates up to 4 in (100 mm) per hour still occurring.[28] Additional rainbands developed farther east near Panama City and Apalachicola, expanding the scope of the flood event.[29]

Sally's northern eyewall began moving onshore in Baldwin County, Alabama, between Mobile Bay and Pensacola Bay around 05:00 UTC. Mesovortices within the eyewall battered the coastline with violent wind gusts during this time.[1]: 4  The storm reached Category 2 intensity by 06:00 UTC as it approached Mobile Bay and continued to intensify until its center reached land.[1]: 18  The hurricane ultimately made landfall at peak strength in Gulf Shores at 09:45 UTC with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 965 mbar (hPa; 28.49 inHg).[1]: 4  This coincidentally occurred on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Ivan's landfall in the same location and just three hours later.[30][31] Ingram Bayou saw the most intense winds, with sustained values reaching 113 mph (182 km/h) and a peak gust of 137 mph (220 km/h). These were observed atop an 59 ft (18 m) mast and were not representative of surface values.[1]: 6 

Hurricane Sally's structure rapidly degraded as it progressed farther inland throughout September 16. Briefly crossing the border into the Florida Panhandle, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm by 18:00 UTC as it moved back over southeastern Alabama.[1]: 4  During this time, its forward motion steadily increased as it interacted with the mid-latitude westerlies.[32] Convection surrounding the center eroded amid increasing wind shear and the influence of land-based friction.[33] Excellent outflow aloft supported continued heavy rain across central Georgia in areas northeast of the center. Moist southerly flow from Sally interacted with a developing frontal boundary over the state and expanded the breadth of heavy rain.[34] Sally degraded to a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC on September 17 as its surface circulation decoupled from its mid- to upper-level circulation, with the latter accelerating ahead.[1]: 4 [35] The system transitioned into post-tropical cyclone soon after as it merged with a frontal boundary over Georgia six hours later, and a defined warm front became established to the east-northeast.[1]: 4 [36] The trailing surface circulation of Sally continued to weaken before dissipating over South Carolina on September 18. A new low-pressure area developed over eastern North Carolina later that day in association with the aforementioned front and Sally's remnants.[1]: 4  A convergence zone developed across northern North Carolina into southeastern Virginia as warm, moist air from the remnant system interacted with an unseasonably strong cold front, creating an axis of heavy rain across the region. The rain event associated with Sally finally ceased late on September 18 as the new system moved farther offshore.[37]

Preparations

Tropical Depression Nineteen shortly after formation on September 11

Due to the possibility of the storm making landfall as a tropical storm, a tropical storm watch was issued for the coast of Southeastern Florida from south of Jupiter Inlet to north of Ocean Reef when advisories were first issued at 21:00 UTC on September 11.[38] At 03:00 UTC on September 12, another tropical storm watch was issued for the Florida panhandle from the Ochlockonee River to the Okaloosa/Walton County line.[39] That same day, numerous storm surge, tropical storm, and hurricane watches were then issued for a large portion of the US Gulf Coast east of New Orleans at 21:00 UTC, three hours after Sally was named.[40][41] Many of these watches were then upgraded to warnings at 09:00 UTC on September 13 with more watches and warnings issued in the hours that followed.[42][43] Several tornado, flash flood, and flood watches were issued.[44]

States of emergency were declared in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama in preparation for Sally's arrival.[45][46][47] Emergencies were also declared in the East Baton Rouge and St. Bernard parishes in Louisiana and Escambia, Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties in Florida as well as New Orleans and Pensacola, Florida.[48][49][50][51][52] The National Park Service shut down the entirety of Gulf Islands National Seashore on September 12.[53]

Louisiana

The mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, issued an evacuation for areas outside the levee system of the city, due to expected storm surge.[54] The governor of Louisiana declared a state of emergency for the entire state, which was still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Laura just three weeks earlier.[45] Several parishes and areas were put under mandatory evacuation orders including all of St. Charles Parish, and parts of Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, Plaquemines Parish, and St. John the Baptist Parish.[55] Shelters were opened while public school and university classes were canceled throughout southeastern Louisiana for September 15.[56] FEMA declared that they will be bringing additional resources to Louisiana for the storm's aftermath and not diverting resources away from Hurricane Laura's relief efforts.[56] Lakeshore Drive along Lake Pontchartrain was closed before the storm as well.[44]

Mississippi

The U.S. Coast Guard was involved in rescue operations

A state of emergency was declared on the night of Sunday, September 13, 2020.[57] Mississippi governor Tate Reeves urged residents to prepare for Sally, which he said could produce up to 20 inches (510 mm) of rain in the southern part of the state. Some shelters were opened, although officials urged people who were evacuating to stay with friends, relatives, or in hotels, if possible, because of the threat of coronavirus superspreading.[58] Mandatory evacuations were ordered for parts of Harrison County and Hancock County.[55][56]

Alabama

Alabama governor Kay Ivey closed all beaches on the coast and called for evacuations of low-lying and flood prone areas.[58] Additionally, Dauphin Island mayor Jeff Collier strongly encouraged all people to evacuate the west end after water started to encroach on the main roadway.[59] A state of emergency was declared by governor Kay Ivey on September 14, 2020, as public schools and university classes were either canceled or moved online in anticipation of the storm.[60]

Florida

On September 14 at 6:00pm, the Pensacola International Airport closed.[61]

Impact

Radar images of both of Sally's landfalls. The first shows it landfall as Tropical Depression Nineteen near Miami, Florida on September 12 while the second shows Sally shortly after landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama on September 16.
A summary map of rainfall associated with Hurricane Sally

Warm and humid southerly flow associated with the circulation of Sally brought scattered showers and thunderstorms to western and central areas of Cuba on September 12–13.[62]

The re-intensification and sudden track to the east by Sally prior to landfall caught many by surprise. Additionally, the storm's slow movement caused coastal areas between Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, to be in the northern eyewall for hours. Over 500,000 customers in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia lost power and parts of I-10, including the Escambia Bay Bridge, were shut down.[63] Widespread tornado, special marine, severe thunderstorm, and flash flood warnings were issued, including several flash flood emergencies.[64][65][66][67][68][69][70][71] Sally was the most destructive storm to strike the Alabama–Florida border region in nearly 20 years, which included Baldwin County in Alabama and Escambia County in Florida.[72]

Florida

People after being rescued by a Coast Guard response team near Navarre, Florida

Due to the asymmetrical structure of Sally, almost all of Florida saw continuous shower and thunderstorm activity starting on September 12. A low-topped supercell in the outer rainbands of Sally prompted a tornado warning east of Tampa near Sebring on September 12.[73] The next day, another storm prompted two tornado warnings in southwestern Lee County.[74] Several special marine warnings were also issued for the Florida coast due to possible waterspouts.[75][76] An EF0 tornado south of Marianna damaged a shed and uprooted several trees on September 16.[77][78] Sally caused heavy rainfall and moderate flooding in South Florida and the Florida Keys, with nearly 8.5 inches (220 mm) falling over Marathon, over 10 inches (250 mm) in Key West and peaking at 12 inches (300 mm) in Lower Matecumbe Key.[79][80] Tropical storm-force gusts were reported in portions of the Miami metropolitan area.[81]

The Panhandle area east of where Sally made landfall suffered the brunt of the storm in Florida. In Escambia County, which includes Pensacola, the sheriff kept police deputies out helping residents "as long as physically possible". In Santa Rosa County, the City of Gulf Breeze was impacted with widespread wind damage, storm surge flooding, and over 20 inches (510 mm) of rainfall in the first 24 hours and over 30 inches in 48 hours. Several area tornadoes also occurred. Damage totals are estimated to be $7 million to Gulf Breeze public facilities. The unincorporated Tiger Point saw 36 inches (91 cm) of rain, while Bellview saw 30 inches (76 cm). In Pensacola itself, over 24 inches (61 cm) of rain fell and storm surge flooding reached 5.6 feet (1.7 m), the third highest surge ever recorded in the city.[44] Many streets were flooded and several parked cars were totaled when water got into their engines. Late on September 15, twenty-two barges in the Pensacola Bay broke loose due to heavy surf. Five of the barges washed up near downtown while the sixth was involved in another collision. The seventh lodged itself underneath the Garcon Point Bridge while the final one became lodged underneath the Pensacola Bay Bridge, located between cities of Pensacola and the Gulf Breeze causing the bridge to be temporarily closed.[82][83] The next morning, a crane fell onto the same bridge, destroying a portion of the roadway.[84] The Florida Department of Transportation was unable to assess any possible damage to the bridge due to ongoing high [3] Water main breaks occurred inside the Gulf Breeze, causing the city to shut off water from the south side of Highway 98 inside city limits, where the majority of water main breaks occurred in order to isolate the leaks.[82] Water main break also occurred in nearby Pensacola Beach, causing officials to advise residents to fill their bathtubs with water.[85] The city of Panama City reported releases of raw sewage from several locations due to flooding from Hurricane Sally, prompting The Florida Department of Health to issue advises against swimming in Panama City until further notice.[86] In Pensacola, a 27-year-old boater went missing when he left his home in a 12-foot jon, in an attempt to find his mother's pontoon boat that became untethered in the strong currents and whipping winds brought on by the hurricane; one week after his disappearance, his body was found washed ashore near the Blue Angel Recreation Park.[87] Another person in Pensacola also died after succumbing to carbon monoxide poisoning from indoor generator use.[88] The body of another missing boater, a 45-year-old female kayaker who had also gone missing at the height of the storm, was discovered, marking the third fatality of Pensacola and the state of Florida.[89] The Shoal River in Okaloosa county saw its highest level in 20 years as a result of all the rain that fell from Sally. This resulted in parts of Crestview, Florida being evacuated and bridges on I-10 and SR 85 being closed to all traffic.[90] Damage in Florida totaled to $180.113 million.[91]

Alabama

Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine agents survey damage caused by Hurricane Sally near Mobile, Ala., Sep 16, 2020

Continuous onshore flow from Sally caused storm surge flooding to occur on Dauphin Island beginning early on September 14.[59] Two unoccupied riverboat casinos in Bayou La Batre near Mobile broke loose due to the constant wave action with one of them hitting a dock.[92] Fort Morgan, Alabama reported a wind gust of 121 miles per hour (195 km/h) while Mobile reported a wind gust of 83 miles per hour (134 km/h). Major structural damage was recorded at the landfall point in Gulf Shores as well as Mobile. A pier in Gulf Shores that was destroyed in Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was partially destroyed again by storm surge from Sally just days after it had reopened following renovations. There were also several reports of damage to condos in the Gulf Shores with a few being destroyed.[44] Meanwhile, in Downtown Mobile, a street light snapped, swinging wildly on its cable.[82] A gas station was destroyed in Spanish Fort, Alabama.[44][85][82] Several sewage overflows were reported across Mobile County following heavy rain from Hurricane Sally, causing contamination to Dog River and Rabbit Creek.[93] One person was declared dead and one other missing in Orange Beach, an area most impacted by flooding.[94] Another person died in Foley during the storm cleanup process.[95] Over 2,000 broken poles and 4,300 trees on power lines left over 71,000 households and businesses in southern and central Baldwin County without power, representing 95% of the service area of a local electrical cooperative, Baldwin EMC. Only 5 of 22 substations remained in service the day after the storm.[96][97] Two days after landfall, on September 18, Alabama governor Kay Ivey said in a news conference that 103,000 customers were still without power in Baldwin County, and another 60,000 in Mobile County.[97] Five days after landfall, Baldwin EMC had restored power to close to 60,000 meters, representing 75% of their subscribers, but 18,197 meters remained without power.[98]

Total damages in Alabama reached $311.895 million (2020 USD).[99]

Elsewhere

The remnants of Sally affecting the Carolinas

The winds from the outer bands of Sally caused the south side of Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana to overflow its banks, flooding Lakeshore Drive. However, no serious damage was reported as the storm veered farther east than originally forecast.[44] Sally brought flooding to Mississippi, with the worst in Jackson County. At the peak of the storm, more than 10,000 people were without power along the Gulf Coast. Pascagoula police reported downed power lines and traffic lights in the city and a power outage on the eastern side of the city.[100] Some parts of South Mississippi also reported uprooted trees and downed signs.[101] Overall damage in Mississippi was expected to be much greater, but was reduced because the storm shifted east.[102] In Georgia, six tornadoes were confirmed, of which two were rated EF1 while the other four were rated EF0. One person was killed and two others were injured after a large oak tree fell onto two homes and several cars in Atlanta.[103] Two other fatalities occurred in metro Atlanta, one in Cobb County where a man died after a slick road caused a driver to lose control of his vehicle and hit the bus stop where the man was waiting at, and another in Gwinnett County where a 71-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell across the roadway, pinning her underneath it.[104] In North Carolina and South Carolina, 16 more tornadoes were also confirmed from September 17–18. Two of them were rated EF1 and two others were rated EFU, while all the others were rated EF0.[105] One person was injured indirectly as he was cleaning up debris from his mobile home following an EF0 tornado in Sardis, South Carolina.[106]

Aftermath

The storm caused widespread power outages across Baldwin County. Restoration of power took several days to bring back to 100%.[107] The cities of Gulf Shores and Foley suffered the most extensive damage in Baldwin County.[108][109] Due the large amount of damage in the city, a curfew was imposed in Mobile, Alabama, starting on September 16. Immediately after the storm, the Cajun Navy, a nonprofit rescue organization, began surveying damage in Alabama.[82] The agricultural industry of Alabama, which was already under stress due to COVID-related impacts, suffered another devastating blow with many farmers' fields completely flooded, crops torn apart, and structures destroyed. Strong winds and heavy rainfall devastated crops, leaving many farmers across the state without hopes for a successful harvest.[110]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Robbie Berg; Bard J. Reinhart (April 14, 2021). Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Sally (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  2. ^ Jay Reeves; Angie Wang; Jeff Martin (September 16, 2020). "Hurricane Sally blasts ashore in Alabama with punishing rain". Yahoo!. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Hurricane Sally After Action Report". City of Gulf Breeze. August 23, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  4. ^ "Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters: Events". NOAA. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  5. ^ Masters, Jeff (March 19, 2021). "WMO: Atlantic hurricanes no longer to receive names from Greek alphabet". Yale Climate Connections. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "These 2019 and 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Names Were Not Retired, But Were Strong Candidates | The Weather Channel - Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com". The Weather Channel. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  7. ^ Stewart, Stacy (January 31, 2021). Tropical Storm Omar (AL152020) (PDF) (Report). Tropical Cyclone Report. Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  8. ^ Blake, Eric (September 9, 2020). Five-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (Technical Discussion). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  9. ^ Berg, Robbie (September 11, 2020). Five-Day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (Technical Discussion). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  10. ^ Blake, Eric (September 11, 2020). Tropical Depression Nineteen Discussion Number 1 (Technical Discussion). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  11. ^ Thompson, Andrea; Montañez, Amanda (December 1, 2020). "In 2020, Record-Breaking Hurricanes Arrived Early—and Often". Scientific American. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  12. ^ Pasch, Richard (September 12, 2020). Tropical Depression Nineteen Discussion Number 4 (Technical Discussion). Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
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