Hurricane Heidi 2024

Hurricane Heidi was the 4th hurricane and 8th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a category 4 hurricane with wind speeds up to 135 mph. It made landfall as a category 2 hurricane in Alabama and cost a total of $32 million USD.

Meteorlogical History

Hurricane Heidi started out as invest 97-A south of Hati on August 9th. It became a tropical depression on August 10th, slowly moving west. It became a tropical storm on August 12th. The storm was given the 8th storm name of the season, Heidi. Tropical Storm Heidi became Hurricane Heidi on August 13th and started moving north towards New Orleans very slowly. The NOAA gave Hurricane Heidi a 60% chance of intensifying in the coming days.

Still moving very slow, at around 5-10 mph, Hurricane Heidi became a category 2 hurricane on August 14th. The NOAA predicted that the hurricane would either hit Louisiana/Mississippi/Alabama, turn west, or die out within 96 hours. Hurricane Heidi became a category 3 hurricane on August 16th west of Tampa Bay Florida, still slowly heading toward Mississippi/Alabama. The NOAA issued a hurricane watch for the Mississippi and Alabama. 12 Hours later, a hurricane warning is issued for the same area. Governor of Alabama George Beissien and Governor of Mississippi Andrew Williams issue a voluntary evacuation for their coastlines. Hurricane Heidi strengthens into a category 4 on August 8th early in the morning. As rain bands move over land it quickly down grades to a category 3 then a category 2 hurricane. It makes landfall in Alabama as a category 2 hurricane at 12:57 pm on August 18th. It brings torrential rain and 110 mph winds. Storm surge is recorded at about 20ft  at shoreline and extending ½ inland. However it quickly becomes a category 1 hurricane after it makes landfall. On August 19th hurricane Heidi becomes a tropical storm, moving NNE very quickly. It becomes extra tropical on August 20th, heading towards Greenland.