BY ALLISON MARLOW After wobbling across the Gulf of Mexico at a pace slower than many people walk, Hurricane Sally shifted east, shifted west and shifted east again, finally setting her sights on landfall in Gulf Shores. The storm slammed into Baldwin County’s seaside the same day as Hurricane Ivan 16 years ago. The two made landfall in nearly the same location and at the same time of day. Sally arrived at 4:45 a.m., Ivan at 2:50 a.m. As a Category 3 storm Hurricane Ivan devastated not just the U.S. but caused massive damage in the Caribbean where it killed more than 60 people before turning toward the U.S. Gulf Coast. Hurricane Ivan arrived as a Category 3 storm on Sept. 16, 2004, packing 120 mph winds. It caused 57 deaths in the U.S. alone and $27 billion in damage. At press time only one death has been attributed to Hurricane Sally after it finally rolled in as a Category 2 after weakening and strengthening several times in its long crawl to the coast. Much of the initial damage of both storms is the same. Electrical lines snapped. Trees uprooted. Roads were turned to rivers. Residents in 10 Beachin’ ● October 2020
towns across Baldwin County spent the night huddled together listening to terrifying, howling winds outside of their windows. They would have to wait until the first light of dawn
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI, FL
to know just how destructive those winds were. The chaotic scenes unfolded in that early morning light to reveal boats tossed aside like toys, roofs
