- For other storms of the same name, see Hurricane Ivan (disambiguation).
Hurricane Ivan
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| Formed |
September 2, 2004 as Tropical Depression Nine
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| Highest Wind Speed |
165 mph (270 km/h) on September 11, 2004 (Category 5)
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| Territories affected |
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Hurricane Ivan was the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane, and the fourth major hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a Cape Verde-type hurricane that reached Category 5 strength at its peak, and early in its path reached unprecedented intensity at low latitudes—Category 4 at only 10.6° N.
After briefly being downgraded to Category 3 intensity, Ivan struck Grenada directly on mid-day September 7 with Category 3 winds. It travelled across the Caribbean Sea, reaching Category 5 intensity before passing close to the Jamaican coast and Grand Cayman and crossing the western tip of Cuba. After moving into the eastern Gulf of Mexico its strength lessened to a Category 4, and it continued on a track towards the north-northwest, making landfall in the U.S. near Gulf Shores, Alabama.
As Ivan approached landfall, Florida Lt. Governor Toni Jennings described it as "the size of Frances but [with] the impact of Charley". [1]
After landfall, Ivan moved north and then turned east, bringing heavy rainfall to large areas of the south-eastern United States. It then later looped south and through Florida, and regenerated into a tropical storm for a short time in the gulf and moved into Louisiana and Texas.
Storm history
On September 2, 2004, Tropical Depression Nine formed about 555 miles (890 km) southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. The depression strengthened gradually to tropical storm status about 610 miles (980 km) southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, moving west-northwesterly at around 16 mph (25 km/h), and was given the name Ivan on September 3.
Early September 5, Tropical Storm Ivan's winds strengthened to hurricane status 1210 miles (1950 km) east-southeast of the Lesser Antilles. By 5pm EDT, Ivan had rapidly strengthened to a strong category three hurricane (nearly a category four) on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale with winds of 125 mph (200 km/h). The National Weather Service noted such rapid strengthening was unprecedented at such low latitudes in the Atlantic basin.
Caribbean tour
As Ivan travelled west, it weakened to a Category 2 hurricane. But on September 7, shortly after passing over Grenada on its way into the Caribbean Sea, it reattained Category 4 intensity with winds of 135 mph (215 km/h). St. Vincent, Grenada and Barbados were thereafter battered by the hurricane for several hours.
As Ivan was passing just north of the Windward Netherlands Antilles and Aruba on September 9, sustained wind speed increased to 160 mph (260 km/h) thus classifying Ivan as a Category 5 hurricane. Following this milestone, Ivan fluctuated between category 4 and 5 status, which is typical of intense hurricanes.
Ivan continued west-northwest, heading straight for Jamaica. As Ivan approached the island late on September 10, it began a westward jog which kept the eye and the strongest winds to the south and west. After clearing Jamaica, it resumed its more northerly track, and reattained Category 5 intensity with sustained windspeeds of 165 mph (270 km/h). With minimum recorded central pressure at 910 millibars, Ivan is ranked as the sixth most intense Atlantic hurricane on record.
Ivan spent most of September 11 travelling west at Category 4 strength, staying just off the southern coast of Jamaica. Ivan's intensity continued fluctuating, with the storm temporarily reattaining Category 5 strength before passing within 30 miles (45 km) of Grand Cayman at Category 4, bringing hurricane force winds onto the island.
After passing the Cayman Islands, Ivan reattained Category 5 strength and brushed the western tip of Cuba late on September 13, with its eyewall coming on shore. With most of its central circulation staying offshore, Ivan was able to pass through the Yucatan Channel with no loss of strength. Once over the Gulf of Mexico, Ivan lost some strength, dropping back to a 140 mph (225 km/h) Category 4 hurricane, but maintained that intensity as it travelled north to the coast of the United States.
United States
Around 2am CDT September 16 (0700 UTC), Ivan struck the U.S. mainland near Gulf Shores, Alabama. At the time, Ivan's maximum sustained winds had dropped to 120 mph (210 km/h). This drop in strength was accompanied by a disruption of Ivan's eyewall. Both NEXRAD operators and Hurricane Hunters reported that the southwestern portion of the eyewall had all but disappeared in the hours before landfall.
Ivan continued inland, maintaining hurricane strength until it was over central Alabama. Late on the 16th, Ivan weakened to a tropical depression over northeastern Alabama. On September 18, remnants of Ivan drifted off the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States into the Atlantic ocean and the low pressure disturbance continued to dump rain on the east coast of the United States.
Ivan lost tropical characteristics on September 18 while crossing Virginia. The remnant low crossed the coast of New Jersey later that day and advisories were discontinued. Nevertheless, on the morning of September 21, some of its remnants combined with a low-pressure system to pelt Cape Breton Island of Nova Scotia, Canada with hurricane-force winds, flooding some roads, felling trees, and leaving thousands without power.
Ivan's "return"
An interesting development occurred on September 20 as a small surface low, caused by the southern remnants of Ivan, moved across the Florida peninsula. As it continued west across the northern Gulf of Mexico, the system organized and took on tropical characteristics. On September 22 the National Weather Service, "after considerable and sometimes animated in-house discussion [regarding] the demise of Ivan," [2] determined that the low was in fact a result of the remnants of Ivan and thus named it accordingly.
On the evening of September 23, the revived Ivan made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana as a weak tropical storm. Ivan weakened quickly as it travelled overland into southeast Texas.
Preparations
- A full evacuation of the Florida Keys began at 7:00am EDT September 10, but was lifted at 5:00 am EDT September 13 as Ivan tracked further west than originally predicted.
- 500,000 Jamaicans were told to evacuate from coastal areas, but only 5,000 were reported to have moved to shelters.
- 12,000 residents and tourists were evacuated from Isla Mujeres off Yucatan
- In Louisiana, mandatory evacuations of vulnerable areas in Jefferson, Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist and Tangipahoa parishes, with voluntary evacuations in 6 other parishes. More than 1/3rd of the population of Greater New Orleans voluntarily evacuated. At the height of the evacuation, intense traffic congestion on local highways caused delays of up to 12 hours.
- In Mississippi, evacuation of mobile homes and vulnerable areas in Hancock, Jackson and Harrison counties
- In Alabama, evacuation in the areas of Mobile and Baldwin counties south of Interstate 10, including towns such as Gulf Shores and Foley.
- Voluntary evacuation declared in ten counties along the Florida Panhandle, with strong emphasis in the immediate western counties of Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa
Effects
Ivan passed directly over Grenada on September 7, 2004, killing at least 34 people. The capital, St. George's, was severely damaged and several notable buildings were destroyed, including the residence of the prime minister. Ivan also caused extensive damage to a local prison, allowing most of the inmates to escape. The island, in the words of a Caribbean disaster official, suffered "total devastation", or more concretely, according to a member of the Grenadan parliament, devastation of at least 85% of the small island [3]. Extensive looting was also reported.
Among the dead were 20 Jamaicans, a pregnant woman killed in Tobago, and a 75 year old woman who drowned in Barbados. There were also four deaths in the Dominican Republic, and four in Venezuela.
Ivan also damaged hundreds of homes in Barbados and at least 60 homes in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
On September 11–12, Ivan passed over Jamaica, causing significant wind and flood damage. Early reports suggested at least 14 people had been killed. Looters were reported roaming the streets of Jamaica's capital city, Kingston (which appeared deserted), robbing emergency workers at gunpoint.
Governor Bruce Dinwiddy described damage in the Cayman Islands as "very, very severe and widespread." A quarter of buildings on the islands were reported to be uninhabitable, with 80% damaged to some extent. Much of Grand Cayman Island still remained without power, water or sewer services ten days later. After five months, barely half the pre-Ivan hotel rooms were usable.
Ivan killed 65 people in the Caribbean, three in Venezuela and 26 in the United States, including fifteen in Florida. 31 more deaths in the U.S. were indirectly attributed to Ivan. Tornadoes spawned by Ivan struck communities along concentric arcs on the leading edge of the storm.[4] Blountstown, Florida and Panama City Beach suffered two of the most devastating tornadoes. A Panama City Beach news station was nearly hit by an F2 tornado during the storm. [5]
The heaviest damage as Ivan touched the U.S. coastline was observed in Baldwin County in Alabama on the western side of the storm, and Pensacola and Fort Walton Beach, Florida on the eastern and windy leading edge of the storm. Shattered windows from gusts and flying projectiles experienced throughout the night of the storm were common. Early estimates had put damage in the U.S. at $5–15 billion.
In Pensacola, the Interstate 10 bridge across Escambia Bay was heavily damaged, with as much as a quarter-mile (400 m) of the bridge collapsing into the bay. The causeway that carries U.S. Highway 90 across the northern part of the same bay was also heavily damaged. Virtually all of Perdido Key , an area on the outskirts of Pensacola that bore the brunt of Ivan's winds and rain was essentially leveled. High surf and wind brought extensive damage to Innerarity Point as well as Orange Beach just over the border from the Key in Alabama.
Further inland, Ivan caused major flooding, bringing the Chattahoochee River near Atlanta and many other rivers and streams to levels at or near 100-year records. The Delaware River and its tributaries crested just below their all-time records set by Hurricane Diane in 1955.
In Western North Carolina, many streams and rivers reached well above flood stage causing many roads to be closed. The Blue Ridge Parkway as well as Interstate 40 through the Pigeon River gorge in Haywood County, North Carolina sustained major damage.
The Caribbean Development Bank estimates Ivan caused over $3 billion damage on island nations, mostly in the Cayman Islands, Grenada and Jamaica. Ivan caused an estimated $13 billion in damage in the U.S. alone, making it the third costliest hurricane on record, being very near Hurricane Charley's $14 billion and but well below Hurricane Andrew's $26 billion. Hurricane Hugo, which had been the second costliest hurricane since 1992, dropped to fourth after Charley and Ivan.
The hurricane also spawned deadly tornadoes as far north as Maryland [6], and destroyed seven oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Finally, after Ivan regenerated in the Gulf of Mexico, it caused further heavy rainfall up to 8 inches (20 cm) in areas of Louisiana and Texas.
Hurricane Ivan is also suspected of bringing spores of soybean rust from Venezuela into the United States. [7]
External links
Last updated: 05-07-2005 14:50:39
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04
