National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

 

Central Alabama Impacts from Hurricane Sally
September 16, 2020

 
Overview Wind Gusts Rainfall Totals
Storm Reports Satellite/Surface/Upper Air Other Links
 

Overview

Hurricane Sally began as a depression off the southeast coast of the Florida peninsula on Friday, September 11th, 2020. The depression became a tropical storm soon after it crossed the Florida peninsula and entered the Gulf of Mexico. Sally gradually strengthened as it tracked northwest over the warm Gulf waters towards the Central Gulf coast and became a hurricane on Monday morning, September 14th. At that time, the hurricane was forecast to track close to the southeast Louisiana coast and move inland over Mississippi. However, the forecast track shifted eastward as Sally approached the coastline on September 15th. Rain bands from Sally began to impact Alabama and Northwest Florida during the early morning hours on the 15th. The center of Sally continued to shift slightly east of due north with the center then taking aim at the Alabama coastline. Hurricane Sally made landfall at 4:45 am on Wednesday, September 16, near Gulf Shores, Alabama. At landfall, the category two hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally weakened quickly after moving inland and tracked northeast across southeast Alabama during the overnight hours on Wednesday, September 16th, and the morning hours on Thursday, September 17th.

Hurricane Sally moved quite slowly during its life cycle with a forward motion generally less than 5 mph. The slow movement of the storm exposed the Alabama and West Florida Coast to several hours of tropical storm to hurricane force winds that caused notable damage to trees, powerlines and generally less formidable structures. The system also produced widespread heavy rainfall with amounts generally in the 10 to 20 inch range from the coast inland through much of southwest, south-central and southeast Alabama. The main impacts for Central Alabama were felt along and south of Interstate 85, where 4-8 inches of rain fell, with localized amounts near 12 inches, and peak wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph were reported, along with numerous reports of downed trees. Several counties also reported flash flooding.

 
 

Wind Gusts

Wind Gusts
 

Rainfall Totals

Rainfall Totals

96 hr Rainfall Totals

 

Storm Reports

For a list of Storm Reports, click here.

 

Satellite/Surface/Upper Air

Satellite

Infrared Satellite Loop
at landfall (GOES-16)

GeoColor Satellite Loop
at landfall (GOES-16)

Surface Charts

Surface Chart

7 PM Sep 15th

Surface Chart

1 AM Sep 16th

Surface Chart

7 AM Sep 16th

Surface Analysis

1 PM Sep 16th

Surface Analysis

7 PM Sep 16th

Surface Chart

1 AM Sep 17th

Surface Analysis

7 AM Sep 17th

Surface Analysis

1 PM Sep 17th

 

 

KBMX Upper Air Soundings

KBMX Sounding

7 PM Sep 15th

KBMX Sounding

7 AM Sep 16th

KBMX Sounding

7 PM Sep 16th

KBMX Sounding

7 AM Sep 17th

KBMX Sounding

7 PM Sep 17th

 

 

Upper Air Charts

250mb Chart

250mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 15th

500mb Chart

500mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 15th

850mb Chart

850mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 15th

250mb Chart

250mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 16th

500mb Chart

500mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 16th

850mb Chart

850mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 16th

250mb Chart

250mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 16th

500mb Chart

500mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 16th

850mb Chart

850mb Chart at 7 PM Sep 16th

250mb Chart

250mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 17th

500mb Chart

500mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 17th

850mb Chart

850mb Chart at 7 AM Sep 17th

 

Other Links