Hurricane Ida (2009)

Storm Active: November 4-10

On November 2, a low pressure system formed from a tropical wave along the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The low was situated in the extreme southwestern Caribbean, off the coast of Nicaragua. The low was nearly stationary for the next two days and it began to gather cloud cover and tropical characteristics. On November 4, Tropical Depression Eleven formed with 35 mph winds and a pressure of 1006 millibars. Later that afternoon, the winds near the center of circulation jumped to 60 mph and the system was named Tropical Storm Ida. Then, as it moved northwest, Ida reached a minimal hurricane strength of 75 mph winds and a 987 millibar pressure before making landfall in Nicaragua in the morning of November 5. As it encountered the mountainous terrain of the region, Ida promptly lost hurricane status, and it steadily weakened, becoming a tropical depression by late on November 5. During the morning of November 6, Ida crossed into Honduras, still maintaining tropical depression strength. Finally, later on November 6, Ida reemerged into the northwest Caribbean Sea. Ida regained tropical storm strength on November 7. During the day, the deep moisture and warm water of the region fed Ida, and it rapidly strengthened once again. By the evening of November 7, Ida was approaching hurricane strength, and was continuing north, towards the Gulf of Mexico. Ida then became a Category 2 hurricane with 100 mph winds and a pressure of 976 millibars. It brushed past the Yucatan Peninsula, causing tropical storm force winds and rain, but a majority of the wind was on the east side of the system due to a strong ridge of high pressure over the Bahamas. The pressure difference caused sustained winds of over 30 mph to rip through the Florida Keys and the surrounding region, despite the fact that the circulation was still fairly far away. In addition, rain from Ida extended farther to the southeast, reaching the Cayman Islands and beyond. Later on November 8, Ida reached its peak intensity of 105 mph winds and a pressure of 976 millibars. Then as Ida entered the northern Gulf of Mexico, it encountered cooler water, and weakened once again. By the afternoon of November 9, Ida had become a tropical storm once again, and was already battering the coasts of Alabama, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle with high surf and tropical storm force winds and rain. Overnight, Ida weakened further and began its extratropical transition. By the morning of November 10, the center of Ida was sill offshore, but all convection associated with the system had moved to the north over much of the southeast U.S., producing rain and thunderstorms, including up to six inches of rain locally in parts of Florida. As Ida made landfall in Alabama, it promptly weakened to a tropical depression and became extratropical. It then combined with a westward moving cold front and another low pressure system approaching North Carolina from the east to bring a huge rain and wind event to the entire U.S. east coast. In addition, a very strong high pressure system was situated over Maine (it was a powerful one, with a pressure exceeding 1035 millibars) causing east-to-west wind to bring surf and tropical storm force gusts to much of the coast. The high pressure also blocked the system, and it moved very slowly. Rain and wind continued for the next three days and some areas accumulated over 10 inches of rain. By November 13, the low pressure system had moved up to the coast of New Jersey and was finally weakening. The system sped off to the northeast and left the U.S. on November 14. Ida was a notable storm in El Salvador because it contributed to a mudslide that killed 124 people, but Ida also became a powerful and dangerous nor'easter after becoming extratropical, killing an additional 10 people. Ida also caused $2.15 million in damage.



Ida strengthening as it enters the Gulf of Mexico.



Track of Ida.

Tropical Storm Henri (2009)

Storm Active: October 6-8

Near the end of September, a tropical wave emerged off the coast of Africa and moved westward. By October 1, the system already was associated with a large area of showers and thunderstorms. The deep tropical moisture enriched the system and contributed to its organization, but it did not develop a well-defined center. The wave moved northwest, out of favorable conditions, but convection persisted. Then, on October 6, a rapid intensification occurred, and the system was declared Tropical Storm Henri. Henri's convection was displaced to the east of the center by El Nino-related west to east sheer, much like Danny and Erika before it. Despite these adverse conditions, Henri gained strength, reaching its peak intensity of 50 mph winds and a pressure of 1005 millibars. Henri paralleled the northern islands of the Caribbean Sea to their north, causing raised surf. Henri weakened later on October 7, and, overnight, became a tropical depression. By the early evening of October 8, Henri had disintegrated into almost nothing on satellite imagery, and it decayed into a remnant low. The low quickly dissipated on October 9. No significant effects resulted from this system.



Henri at peak intensity north of the Caribbean Sea.



Track of Henri.

Tropical Storm Grace (2009)

Storm Active: October 4-5

On October 1, the center of a non-tropical low over the Azores developed a small area of showers. However, the showers didn't persist and no tropical cyclone formed. The low moved slowly northeast, hindered by a stationary front to its north into October 4. Then, an area of convection flared up rapidly within the low that evening, resulting in it being classified as Tropical Storm Grace. It formed at 41.2 N and 20.3 W, making it the farthest northeast a tropical cyclone has ever formed on record, Since the low was already fairly strong (995 millibars before Grace's formation) Grace already had reached a strong tropical storm intensity of 65 mph winds and a pressure of 990 millibars. Grace's movement quickened to 25 mph, as it went speeding off to the northeast. Despite being in a hostile area for tropical cyclone development, Grace strengthened into the morning of October 5, reaching its peak intensity of 70 mph winds and a pressure of 989 millibars. At its peak intensity, Grace was a very small system, less than 100 miles across. In comparison, the widely scattered shower activity of the extratropical low spanned hundreds or even a thousand miles. Throughout the day of October 5, Grace continued northeast, reaching a forward speed of 30 mph, and began to weaken. It was then absorbed by a frontal boundary late on October 5. The combined system caused scattered showers over the British Isles over the next day but no damage resulted.



Grace at its peak of a small, intense tropical storm in the extreme northeast Atlantic.



Grace's track.

Tropical Depression Eight (2009)

Storm Active: September 25-26

A tropical wave moved off of Africa on August 23, and began to develop disorganized showers and thunderstorms as it moved to the west-north-west at about 15 mph. On September 24, the Cape Verde Islands received scattered showers and thunderstorms as it passed to the south of the region. On September 25, the wave began to organize west of the Cape Verde Islands, despite being in an area only marginally favorable for tropical cyclone formation and started to develop a center of circulation. The system was declared Tropical Depression Eight at 5 p.m. on September 25 already at its peak intensity of 35 mph winds and a pressure of 1008 millibars. Over the next day, the depression moved northwest into cooler waters and became less organized. Then, exactly a day after formation, Eight lost its center of circulation and dissipated. The tropical wave continued to produce shower activity as it moved northwest and was monitored for regeneration, but no new low formed, and the possibility for reformation was gone by September 27.



The tropical wave destined to become Tropical Depression Eight organizing in the East Atlantic.



Track of Eight

Hurricane Fred (2009)

Storm Active: September 7-12

On September 6, a strong, organized, tropical wave associated with an area of low pressure moved off of Africa and quickly developed into Tropical Depression Seven the next day. The depression passed south of the Cape Verde Islands and intensified into Tropical Storm Fred on September 7. Fred's center became well-defined, and the system strengthened through the next day, becoming Hurricane Fred on September 8 with 75 mph winds and a pressure of 987 millibars. Hurricane Fred jumped to Category 3 intensity in just 12 hours and reached its peak intensity of 120 mph winds and a pressure of 958 millibars on September 9. At his time, Fred had a distinct eye feature, and it became the most southeasterly major hurricane ever to form in the Atlantic Ocean. Fred curved to the north, due to a ridge to its west, and its southeast side weakened. As a result, strong wind sheer ripped at the system from that direction, causing Fred to weaken, becoming a tropical storm on September 11. Convection began to separate from the center to the north, and Fred became nearly stationary, drifting east, then south, and weakening all the time and making a tight loop in the Eastern Atlantic. By mid-afternoon on September 12, Fred was a minimal tropical storm, with almost no convection. It was then downgraded to a remnant low that night, and moved west. The low continued to produce shower activity, but dissipated on September 16. However, a new low formed in association with Fred's remnants 500 miles south of Bermuda and the area was monitored once again. The low continued to drift west, and finally dissipated, becoming part of a frontal boundary, on September 20.



Hurricane Fred at Category 3 intensity in the far east Atlantic.



Track of Fred. Note that the triangles signifying Fred's remnant low continued much farther west before dissipating.

Tropical Storm Erika (2009)

Storm Active: September 1-3

On August 26, a tropical wave moving off of Africa became associated with a broad area of low pressure south of the Cape Verde Islands, producing shower and thunderstorm activity. However, the cloud cover and organization diminished over the next few days as the system moved west. By August 31, though, the low had regenerated into an organized ball of convection. The system was organized enough to be a tropical storm and had tropical storm force winds, but i still wasn't classified. This was because it lacked a center of circulation. The low was an elongated oval, widest north to south, and a center could have formed anywhere along the oval. During the afternoon of September 1, a center began to for, evident on visible imagery as a point just east of the cloud cover associated with with the system. Therefore, like the previous storm Danny, the system skipped tropical depression status and was upgraded directly to Tropical Storm Erika, with 50 mph winds and a pressure of 1007 millibars. Later that night, the pressure dropped to 1004 millibars and the winds increased to 60 mph, but Erika took a southerly turn and weakened the next morning. By mid-morning, Erika began to interact with the northern Leeward islands of the Caribbean Sea, causing wind and rain. Later on September 2, Erika entered the Caribbean, still maintaining minimal tropical storm winds of 40 mph. Erika struggled westward, its center well west of the convection, similar to Tropical Storm Danny's appearance several days earlier. Erika meandered through the Caribbean for another day, before weakening to a tropical depression south of Puerto Rico on September 3. Overnight, Erika weakened into a remnant low. The next day, the low dissipated. Damage was minimal and no fatalities resulted from Erika.



Erika near peak intensity. Even then, Erika was very disorganized.



Track of Erika.

Tropical Storm Danny (2009)

Storm Active: August 26-29

On August 20, a tropical wave moved off Africa. It showed little signs of organization, but it was monitored for development. The cloud cover diminished on August 22, but flared up again on August 23, as the wave interacted with an upper-level low to its northwest. The low, sheered the system, but it also fueled increasing convection around the wave over the next two days. As the tropical wave passed under the low on August 25, sheer lessened, and more organization was evident. The wave ad strong enough winds to be considered a tropical storm, but still lacked a specific center of circulation. However, this appeared on the morning of August 26, and the wave-low interaction was upgraded directly to Tropical Storm Danny. Danny had most cloud activity to the northeast of the center, and wasn't that organized. Despite this, stronger winds were found in the system and Danny strengthened, reaching its peak intensity of 60 mph winds and a pressure of 1006 millibars that night. Danny was heading generally northwest, but meandered north of the Bahamas, sometimes going west, north, even south. As Danny slowly made its way towards the U.S. east coast on August 27, it encountered less favorable conditions and began to weaken as its convection became increasingly displaced to the east of its center. By August 28, Danny was a minimal tropical storm, and was steered more northerly by a ridge of high pressure of the southeastern United States. Early on August 29, Danny was downgraded to a tropical depression off the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The last advisory was issued at 5 a.m. Eastern Standard Time that morning as Danny merged with a frontal low pressure system in the Northeast. Danny helped to enhance the moisture in the region even more, causing 2-4 inches of rain over various areas of New England. The merged low and accompanying frontal boundary continued northeast, eventually causing heavy rain in the Canadian Maritime on August 30. Danny, having never made landfall as a tropical system, caused little damage, and one fatality resulted from rip currents on the coast of North Carolina.



Visible satellite image of Danny while maintaining its peak. The center is highly evident as a swirl of clouds well outside the cloud cover, which is all east of the center.



Track of Danny.

Tropical Storm Claudette (2009)

Storm Active: August 16-17

On August 11, a scattered area of showers and thunderstorms became associated with a tropical wave over the Bahamas. The wave showed little to no organization over the next few days as it moved westward, and tracked south of Florida. On August 15, upon entering the Gulf of Mexico, the wave became significantly better organized, and on August 16, was classified Tropical Depression Four, with 35 mph winds and a central pressure of 1011 millibars. Later that same day, Tropical Depression Four became Tropical Storm Claudette. The system quickly reached its peak intensity of 50 mph winds that evening. Overnight, technically very early on August 17, Eastern Standard Time, Claudette made landfall in the panhandle of Florida. The system's central pressure briefly decreased after landfall, but then Claudette became a remnant low late on August 17. For a few more hours, the remnants of Claudette continued northwest, before it dissipated on August 18. Two fatalities occurred as a result of this system, and damages totaled around $1.2 million.



Claudette near peak intensity in the Gulf of Mexico.



Track of Claudette.

Hurrricane Bill (2009)

Storm Active; August 15-24

On August 11, a strong tropical wave moved off Africa. It took a few days to organize, but on August 15, it became Tropical Depression Three, with 35 mph winds and a pressure of 1006 millibars. A few hours later, Three became Tropical Storm Bill. Unlike the previous storm Ana, Bill quickly stregthened and became the first hurricane of the 2009 season on August 17 with 75 mph winds and a pressure of 987 millibars. It took a west-north-west track, which allowed for more favorable conditions. Inside the well-organized circulation, eyewall and eye structures quickly formed. A large area of high pressure kept Bill on this track, as it continued to gain strength. By August 18, it was a Category 2, with 100 mph winds and a pressure of 967 millibars. Then, overnight, Bill rapidly intensified into a Category 4 hurricane, with winds of 135 mph and a pressure of 948 millibars. Later that same day, Bill made its closest approach to the northeasternmost islands of the Caribbean, causing high surf but no other effects. On August 20, the ridge of high pressure keeping Bill to the south weakened, allowing Bill to take a northward turn. Bill slowly weakened, and on August 21, began to batter Bermuda with tropical storm force winds as a Category 2. Bill continued north, accelerating over time, and brushed Cape Cod with its outer bands causing huge surf and rip currents. On August 23, Bill's center paralleled the coast of Nova Scotia, staying barely offshore. At this time, Bill was turning east and was a minimal Category 1 hurricane. Late that night Bill made a landfall in Newfoundland and had passed by a mere six hours later. Early on August 24, Bill was a tropical storm, and, going east at 43 mph, Bill finally became extratropical. It continued eastward, and its extratropical remnants eventually brought wind and rain to Great Britain and surrounding areas. Bill caused two fatalities, both as a result of high surf on the east coast of the U.S.

Sorry, but an image of Hurricane Bill is not currently available on this website. To see one, click here.



Track of Bill.

Tropical Storm Ana (2009)

Storm Active: August 11-17

On August 8, a strong tropical wave emerged off Africa. It showed a lot of organization, and therefore was classified a tropical depression on August 11. Tropical Depression Two had 30 mph winds and an internal pressure of 1006 millibars on its first advisory, but it showed signs of strengthening. It also had minor effects on the southern Cape Verde Islands. Tropical Depression Two became more organized on August 12, when convection became more defined and covered the center of circulation. However, the system was still a tropical depression with 35 mph winds and a pressure of 1006 millibars. That night, however, the depression lost its cloud cover due to wind sheer, and weakened back to 30 mph winds on August 13. Despite some regeneration of the convection later that day, it was downgraded to a remnant low. However, cloud cover came back to the system slowly and on August 15, it became Tropical Depression Two once again. Then, six hours later, it became the first named storm of the 2009 season with its peak intensity of 40 mph winds and a pressure 1005 millibars. The newly named Tropical Storm Ana continued westward and interacted with the easternmost islands of the Caribbean, causing little damage. Only rain and some tropical storm force winds resulted. As it plowed deeply into wind sheer, the system weakened and became Tropical Depression Ana south of Puerto Rico. It brought periods of showers and winds to the island, before becoming a remnant low on August 17. The low continued west-north-west over the next few days, and dissipated near Florida on August 19. Damage from Ana was minimal and no fatalities resulted from this system.



Tropical Depression Two before dissipating and regenerating into Tropical Storm Ana.



Track of Ana.