Hurricane (Typhoon) — Hancock, Mississippi

2021-08-29 to 2021-08-30 · Hancock, Mississippi

Event narrative

The county experienced widespread tree damage and minor to moderate structure damage due to Ida's winds and 4 confirmed tornadoes. Most signs along South Beach Blvd were also blown down or damaged. In total, county damage assessments indicate 96 public roads suffered damage along with 13 publicly owned buildings and 60 homes, including one mobile home that was completely destroyed. At the peak, roughly 6400 customers were without power due to the storm.

Wider weather episode

The ninth named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Ida originated from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on August 23rd. On August 26th, the wave developed into a tropical depression, which organized further and became Tropical Storm Ida later that day, near Grand Cayman. On a northwestward track, Ida intensified into a hurricane on August 27, just before moving over western Cuba. A day later, the hurricane underwent rapid intensification over the Gulf of Mexico as it passed over a warm core eddy and reached major hurricane strength. It was just under 72 hours from tropical depression formation to category 4 strength with 150 mph winds. Ida remained at its peak intensity of 150 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 929 millibars as it made landfall near Port Fourchon midday on August 29th. It didn't weaken to a tropical storm until it reached near the Louisiana/Mississippi border.

Ida produced over a dozen tornadoes and light to moderate wind damage across southwestern and coastal Mississippi. Around 100,000 residents were without power. Around 100 homes were damaged, 6 destroyed. Storm surge inundation ranged from a few feet in Jackson County to 7 feet in Harrison County. Hurricane Ida caused approximately $10 million worth of damage.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 978873. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.