Ida Back to Hurricane Strength
Ida has regained hurricane strength and given its current forward speed should bein the Gulf of Mexico late this afternoon or early this evening. The track forecast seems to be pretty solid for the next 48 hours but after that there is a lot of uncertainty due to a system moving across the US that will reak havoc on Ida. Timing will be everything in figuring out where Ida eventually goes.
The good news is that this same system should also rip Ida apart, turning it into an extra-tropical system as the two interact. While Ida has the potential for some more strengthening in the near term, that situation will change rapidly as the frontal system approaches and shears Ida apart. There is still potential for Ida to ultimately come ashore in our area but if it does it should no longer be a tropical system at that point.
Hurricane Ida Forecast Track - 11/08/09 6:00AM