A killer hurricane, worse hit since Camille tonite

[WXBUFFJIM]

Hurricane Ivan is now located about 80 miles south of Mobile, Alabama. Maximum sustained winds are up near 135 mph with higher gusts. Movement is north at around 12 mph. Latest satellite images suggest alittle east of due north track as of late though. However impacts are already underway with 51 mph gusts in Bioloxi, Mississippi, gusts to 46 mph in Mobile, Alabama and 46 mph in Pensacola. However latest gusts at the Pensacola Naval Air Station are now up to 68 mph, just 6 mph shy of hurricane force. This will get much worse overnight with 135 mph sustained with gusts to near 160 possible. Waves on the right front quadrant will be 35-40 feet with surge of 15-20 feet likely. This means Pensacola Beach will be completely underwater if not already. This will be the worse hit for the northern gulf coast since Camille, I'll say that right now. This will be the first category 4 landfall ever for the Alabama and Florida Panhandle coastal zones if this makes landfall as a 4. Also this will be the first time since 1915 that we saw 2 cat 4 landfalls in one season. We had Charley and now this killer hurricane Ivan!!

Folks need to be in a sturdy structure, not a mobile home as a category 4 will destroy mobile homes. Best bet is ride this one out inland from the coast in a sturdy shelter. We must keep our prayers for the folks affected by this deadly hurricane.

The coastal areas are the only places that will be affected by this however. The effects will not only be felt along the coast. This is an inland threat too with 60-80 mph winds possible even into Montgomery, Alabama by morning with gusts to near 100. Rainfall flooding will not be as significant near the coast at landfall as opposed to what we could see further inland into the western Carolinas and into northern Georgia where catastrophic freshwater flooding from prolonged excessive rainfall is possible.

This is a killer situation as we're looking at the worst hit since Camille in 1969 for the Gulf coast, that's the bottom line.

Jim

[simplykristi]

Hi Jim,
Totally agree with you! I have a bad feeling about this storm and I feel that people have under-estimated Ivan's strength.

Kristi

[manofsteele79]

It's going to be bad...... my parents and in-laws are riding it out 20 miles north of gulf shores alabama. We've got some gustly wind over here in MS too. I've got food, water, gas, and tons of ice ready to take to my folks as soon as I can get back. Some friends in the area volunteered to ride over and help me clean up the mess after it's over. I just hope they're going to be ok.

[WXBUFFJIM]

I'm just glad they're on the northwest quad in Gulfport as they're even more proned to surge than even Pensacola area and we're talking 15-20 foot surge in Pensacola. I can't imagine what it would have been like if the eye went over the eastern tip of Louisiana. Alot of that surge potential has to do with the depth of the water. The depth of the water is higher in pensacola beach than it is in Mobile and Gulfport. The shallower the water, the higher the surge potential.

Jim

[cccmachine]

the news media went thru Frances and think they have it made.They have no idea

[manofsteele79]

my parents are closer to p'cola than mobile. Gulfport is in MS and my parents are in coastal Baldwin county AL. I'm afraid they will see the highest winds. They aren't in any flood zones but they have a lot of trees around the house.