User:Cyclonebiskit/SallyMet
Meteorological history of a Category 2 hurricane in 2020 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hurricane Sally was a strong tropical cyclone that brought prolific rainfall to the Southeastern United States in September 2020. The hurricane originated in early September from a trough over the western Atlantic Ocean associated with Tropical Storm Omar. This system gradually organized as it moved southwest toward the Bahamas, eventually becoming a tropical depression over the archipelago between Andros Island and Bimini on September 11. Steering along a general west course by a ridge, the depression made landfall near Miami, Florida, early the next day. While traversing the Everglades it strengthened into a tropical storm, the 18th of the season. Turning west-northwest, Sally steadily organized with moderate wind shear being an inhibiting factor. A brief reprieve in shear allowed the storm to rapidly intensify to a hurricane on September 14, with winds reaching 85 mph (140 km/h). Steering currents soon collapsed and Sally became nearly stationary south of Mobile Bay.
Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Formed | September 11, 2020 |
---|---|
Dissipated | September 18, 2020 |
(Extratropical after September 17) | |
Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 110 mph (175 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 965 mbar (hPa); 28.5 inHg |
Areas affected | The Bahamas, Cuba, U.S. Gulf Coast, Southeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States |
Part of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Wind shear increased again on September 15, disrupting the hurricane's structure and causing it to weaken slightly. The hurricane's slow movement led to a prolonged period of heavy rain across southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle with multiple convective bands sweeping across the area. Later in the day, Sally turned north and north-northeast toward the coastline. A significant increase in upper-level divergence fostered re-intensification and Sally rapidly intensified for a second time early on September 16. In the hours leading up to its second landfall, Sally became a Category 2 hurricane and attained maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) as it moved ashore near Gulf Shores, Alabama. Once over land, the combined influences of friction and shear took a toll and the hurricane quickly weakened to a tropical depression by September 17. Accelerating northeast across Georgia and The Carolinas, Sally transitioned into an extratropical cyclone before dissipating on September 18.