Hurricane Ivan
Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Ivan nearing landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Hurricane Ivan nearing landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama
Winds1-minute sustained: 120 mph (195 km/h)
Pressure943 mbar (hPa); 27.85 inHg
FatalitiesNone reported
Damage$18.82 billion
Areas affectedAlabama
Part of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season

The effects of Hurricane Ivan caused major damage to Alabama, along with the oil industry in both Alabama and the Gulf of Mexico. Ivan started out as a tropical depression off the coast of Africa before rapidly intensifying into a Category 4 hurricane. [1] The storm hit the Leeward Islands, particularly affecting Grenada while doing so. Then, the storm began flickering between Category 4 and 5 strength, while passing closely to both Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, before moving into the Gulf of Mexico. [2] On September 16, it made landfall in Gulf Shores, Alabama as a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph (190 km/h). After landfall, it moved across multiple states before moving off the coast near Virginia, striking south Florida as a post-tropical depression, and then finally hitting southwest Louisiana as a tropical depression and later dissipating.[3]


Ivan caused no fatalities in Alabama, but inflicted around $18.82 billion in damage, mostly in Baldwin County. It was the costliest hurricane in Alabama history, and the tenth most damaging American hurricane of all time.[4]

Preparations

On September 13, in response to Hurricane Ivan, a state of emergency was issued for Alabama by Governor Bob Riley. This led to a law against price gouging becoming effective immediately.[5] Mandatory evacuations for Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan were issued the morning of September 14.[6][7] Hours later, evacuations in the areas of Mobile and Baldwin counties south of Interstate 10 was ordered, including a third of the incorporated territory of the City of Mobile, as well as several of its suburbs.[8] As a result of the evacuations, all lanes on I-65 were rerouted to go north, successfully allowing more people to leave South Alabama.[9] Ivan prompted the evacuation of 270 animals at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The evacuation had to be completed within a couple of hours, with only 28 volunteers available to move the animals. [10] A hurricane watch was issued for the entire coastline of Alabama around 51 hours before landfall, which was upgraded to a hurricane warning around 42 hours before landfall. [3] A soccer match in Tuscaloosa between the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham was postponed to a later date.[11]

Impact

A damaged home with debris on it in southern Alabama
A damaged home in southern Alabama

When the hurricane hit it brought strong winds and rain. [12] In Baldwin County, a gust with winds of 145 mph (233 km/h) was reported, [13] along with a storm surge ranging from 16-29 feet (5-9 meters) high, and a peak of 10.16 inches (258.064 millimeters) of rainfall. [14] Thousands of homes in Escambia, Baldwin County, and Mobile County were damaged or destroyed.[3] In Orange Beach, 60 percent of all wooden structures were damaged. [15] During the peak of the storm, 825,000 customers lost power. [16] Major damage was reported at the Gulf Shore Zoo, and despite efforts to evacuate all animals, several deers and six alligators escaped after their enclosures were destroyed. [17] The Alabama Forestry Commission reported $610 million in damage to timber over around 2.7 million acres of land. [3] Despite initial reports of Mobile being in the direct path of the hurricane, Ivan made landfall to the east of the city, causing damage to be less severe than initially expected. However, there were still reports of downed trees, power lines, and damaged billboards across the city.[18] Around 6–9 in (150–230 mm) inches of rain fell in Birmingham over a one day period, the most the city had recorded in over a 100 years.[19] Wind also extender far inland. In the city of Demopolis, which is almost 100 miles inland, received wind gusts of up to 90 mph (140 km/h). Similarly, Montgomery also saw wind gusts of up to 60 to 70 mph (97 to 113 km/h).[20]

Aftermath

With 825,000 power outages, it caused the highest power outage in Alabama history. Almost 4,000 linemen were brought into Alabama from outside states to help restore power. [19] Debris piles reached 70 feet (21 m) talk and 0.75 miles (1.21 km) side during cleanup.[21] President George W. Bush declared Alabama a disaster area. He cancelled political campaigning to observe relief areas in impacted places. [22] On September 16, a federal disaster declaration was approved by George W. Bush. This allowed people who were impacted by the storm to get federal assistance.[23] A gator named Chucky from the Gulf Shores Alabama zoo was caught five days after escaping his enclosure during the hurricane. [24]

References

  1. ↑ "This Month in Climate History: Hurricane Ivan 2004 | National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) formerly known as National Climatic Data Center (NCDC)". www.ncdc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  2. ↑ "Hurricane Ivan Remembered - Cayman Islands". ReliefWeb. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Stewart, Stacy R. (December 16, 2004). "Tropical Cyclone Report – Hurricane Ivan" (PDF). NHC. Retrieved November 27, 2022.
  4. ↑ https://www.al.com/news/erry-2018/09/338f6e161d3228/remembering-hurricane-ivan-14.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20National%20Weather%20Service%20damage%20from%20Hurricane%20Ivan,were%20estimated%20at%20%2418.82%20billion.
  5. ↑ Press Office (September 13, 2004). "Governor Bob Riley Declares State Of Emergency Voluntary Evacuations of Coastal Areas; Price Gouging Law Goes Into Effect". Alabama.Gov. Archived from the original on October 16, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  6. ↑ Press Office (September 14, 2004). "Governor Riley Orders Evacuations of Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan". Alabama.Gov. Archived from the original on October 16, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  7. ↑ Press Office (September 14, 2004). "Governor Riley Orders Evacuation of Dauphin Island". Alabama.Gov. Archived from the original on September 16, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  8. ↑ Press Office (September 14, 2004). "Governor Riley Orders Evacuation of Areas South of I-10 in Mobile and Baldwin Counties". Alabama.Gov. Archived from the original on September 16, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  9. ↑ Press Office (September 15, 2004). "I-65 Reverse Laning Successful, Course of Traffic Reverts Back to Normal". Alabama.Gov. Archived from the original on October 16, 2004. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  10. ↑ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2006/feb/15/animals-saved-from-storm-on-zoo/
  11. ↑ "Hurricane Ivan impacts Alabama's Weekend Schedule". RollTide.Com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2004. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  12. ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Hurricane Ivan - September 16, 2004". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  13. ↑ Morgan, Leigh (2018-09-16). "Remembering Hurricane Ivan 14 years later". al. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  14. ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "Hurricane Ivan - September 16, 2004". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2020-12-25.
  15. ↑ "Ivan blamed for 25 U.S. deaths". CNN. September 18, 2004. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Ivan's impact on states". CNN. September 16, 2004. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  17. ↑ "U.S. death toll at least 19 in Ivan's wake". CNN. September 17, 2004. Archived from the original on September 17, 2004. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  18. ↑ Frei, Matt (September 16, 2004). "Hurricane Ivan rips into Alabama". BBC. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
  19. 1 2 Hurricane Ivan caused record outages in Alabama 15 years ago, Alabama News Central, November 5, 2019
  20. ↑ "Hurricane Ivan…September 2004". NOAA. February 17, 2009. Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  21. ↑ 2004 - Hurricane Ivan, Hurricanes: Science and Society
  22. ↑ Loyn, David (September 18, 2004). "US takes stock of Hurricane Ivan". BBC. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  23. ↑ Press Office (September 16, 2004). "Governor Riley Receives Approval for Federal Disaster Declaration due to Hurricane Ivan" (PDF). Alabama Emergency Management Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 24, 2004. Retrieved December 22, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Escaped gator Chucky caught in Alabama". CNN. September 22, 2004. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
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