Storm Total Precipitation measured by the Mobile, Alabama WSR-88D. Fortunately, for downtown Mobile, AL, the center of Ivan passed to the east preventing nearly 16 to 18 feet of devastating storm surge, which would have happened if Ivan would have made landfall west of Mobile Bay The maximum surge along this stretch of coastline ranged from 10-15 feet. Table 3 shows regional storm surge information obtained from various tide gauges. The National Weather Service in Mobile, AL issued Inland Hurricane High Wind Warnings for the affected counties well in advance of Ivan's arrival into inland southwest Alabama.

As one can see in the above figure, Ivan carved a path of wind destruction as it moved well away form the coast. In these intense squalls very near the eyewall, higher winds just above the surface are efficiently transported down to the ground. Path of Ivan traced out by the highest radar reflectivities (> 50 dBZ, obtained from the KMOB WSR-88D) The winds around the center of a landfalling hurricane can remain above hurricane force (> 74 mph) well inland (and most certainly in higher gusts). Ivan's path of destruction did not stop in the coastal counties, however. Jump to - Wind, Storm Surge, Rainfall, Animations, Imagery, or Additional Information sections This webpage will remain focused on Hurricane Ivan's impacts across southwestern Alabama and the northwestern Florida Panhandle. Note: there was a 13mb pressure difference over a straight line from Brookley Field (northwest Mobile Bay) to the center of Ivan located over extreme southeastern Mobile Bay. The minimum central pressure measured by NOAA Research Aircraft at the time of landfall was 27.85 inches (or 943mb). Brookley Field (not shown) was located 32 miles northwest of the eye and measured 28.23 inches (or 956mb) of pressure. The observed minimum central pressure was 28.48 inches (or 964mb). This microbaragraph shows the pressure with time as the western eyewall approached the National Weather Service Office in Mobile, AL. Damage was estimated near 14 billion US dollars. A total of 8 deaths in the western Florida Panhandle (7 in Escambia County and 1 in Santa Rosa County) were the direct result of Hurricane Ivan. Hurricane Ivan may rival the magnitude of damage and destruction caused by the Hurricane of 1926 which ravaged the counties east of Mobile Bay. Northwest Florida exceeded that of both Hurricane Frederic (September 1979) and Hurricane Opal (October 1995). Ivan packed 120 mph sustained surface winds and a historic storm surge, the magnitude and extent of the damage and destruction over Baldwin County in Alabama and Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties in View of the northern eyewall making landfall. Powerful Hurricane Ivan Slams the Central Gulf CoastĪt 150am on 16 September 2004, powerful Hurricane Ivan made landfall just west of Gulf Shores, AL as a Category 3 Hurricane.

Ivan hurricane track