Hurricane Sally was a notable tropical cyclone that impacted the U.S. Gulf Coast during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm was characterized by its destructive winds and particularly slow forward motion, which compounded its water-related impacts across coastal Alabama and the western Florida Panhandle. Sally’s progression from a tropical depression to a landfalling hurricane brought a combination of hazards that led to widespread damage in September 2020.
Hurricane Sally’s Official Landfall Classification
Hurricane Sally made landfall as a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. The storm crossed the coastline near Gulf Shores, Alabama, during the early morning hours of Wednesday, September 16, 2020. Specifically, the center of the hurricane came ashore at approximately 4:45 a.m. CDT, with maximum sustained winds officially measured at 105 miles per hour.
The central pressure at the time of landfall was recorded at 965 millibars. This classification placed Sally at the upper end of the Category 2 range, which includes storms with sustained winds between 96 and 110 miles per hour. The landfall point near Gulf Shores lies between the major metropolitan areas of Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida, both of which experienced significant effects.
The Storm’s Evolution and Pre-Landfall History
Sally began as an area of disturbed weather near the Bahamas before organizing into a tropical depression on September 11, 2020. It quickly intensified into Tropical Storm Sally as it moved across the southern tip of Florida and entered the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The storm initially followed a west-northwest track across the Gulf, benefiting from very warm sea-surface temperatures and decreasing upper-level wind shear.
This favorable environment allowed Sally to undergo a period of rapid intensification, achieving strong Category 1 status by September 14. The storm’s forward motion slowed dramatically as it approached the northern Gulf Coast, eventually crawling at less than 5 miles per hour just before landfall. This slow movement was a defining meteorological characteristic, influencing both its intensity and the duration of its destructive effects.
Despite a brief period of weakening due to increased wind shear and cooler waters, Sally unexpectedly re-intensified during its final approach to the coast. It reached its peak intensity as a high-end Category 2 hurricane just hours before making landfall. The storm’s erratic track and sudden strengthening near the coast surprised many, leading to a strong impact in an area that was initially not expected to take the direct hit.
Translating Classification into Real-World Impact
The Category 2 classification signifies that a storm is capable of producing dangerous winds that can cause extensive damage. For Sally, this meant considerable property damage, with many homes suffering roof and siding failures, and an untold number of structures damaged by numerous fallen trees. Maximum wind gusts exceeded 100 miles per hour in coastal Alabama, with a peak gust of 123 miles per hour recorded in Orange Beach.
The Category 2 wind speeds were only one part of the danger, as Sally’s slow movement amplified its water hazards. The prolonged duration of the storm caused an extreme amount of rainfall, with totals reaching nearly 30 inches in parts of coastal Alabama and over two feet in the Pensacola, Florida, area. This torrential rain led to widespread and major freshwater flooding that extended well inland.
The slow-moving nature also contributed to a significant storm surge, which was particularly damaging in the back bays and sounds. Peak inundation reached 7 to 9 feet above ground level in locations like the back bays of southeast Baldwin County and the northern end of Escambia Bay. The combination of storm surge and extreme rainfall resulted in widespread flash and river flooding, necessitating thousands of water rescues and causing extensive damage to roads and bridges across the region.