Tropical Storm Ida a major flood threat for Nicaragua and
Honduras Tropical Storm Ida has arrived, the ninth named storm
of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Visible satellite loops
show that Ida continues to steadily organize, with surface
spiral banding and upper-level outflow now obvious over the
northern portion of the storm. An Air Force hurricane hunter
aircraft is in the storm, and found a large area of surface
winds in the 45 - 50 mph range, with a smaller area of 60 mph
winds, prompting NHC to upgrade the storm. Figure 1. Afternoon
satellite image of Ida. Ida is currently under low wind shear, 5
- 10 knots, and shear is expected to remain in the low to
moderate range in the Western Caribbean for the remainder of the
week. Sea Surface Temperatures (SSTs) are 29°C and the Tropical
Cyclone Heat Potential is about 40 kJ/cm^2, which is enough
energy for a hurricane to form, if the center remains over water
long enough. The Western Caribbean is plenty moist, and dry air
is not an issue for Ida. Ida is cu