I've lived in Gulf Shores for 35 years. This was the second worst hurricane I've sat through. Ivan on September 16, 2004 was the worst a cat 4 near 5. No early rain just some feeder bands coming before the main event, and then a long powerful push of about 8-10 hours with a storm surge of 10-15 feet. The eye coming ashore about 2 AM. We went without power for 17 days.
16 years later on the 14 and 15 a tremendous amount of rain and a hurricane that was supposed to pass us by, and maybe not even be a hurricane when it made landfall changes course and hit Gulf Shores as a cat 2 almost a 3. It rained all day the 15th, with the hurricane proper hitting around 9 PM and the eye hit GS around 3: AM on the 16th. A very intense storm that lifted my eight feet tall, three feet x three feet chimney box and landed it it the middle of my patio. I will post a picture when my internet is back to full strength. That happened an hour before the eye hit. During a lull I went across the street and scavenged a half sheet of 5/8 plywood, and put it in position so I could try to get it on the roof to cover the hole when eye came onshore. As soon as the eye hit I manage to manhandle the plywood into position, and seal the hole. An incredible experience, and after the cacophony of the first part, the eye was insanely quiet. Not a sound. Other than that we had very little damage. My wife and I came through unscathed and our power just came on after three days. That was awesome.
16 years later on the 14 and 15 a tremendous amount of rain and a hurricane that was supposed to pass us by, and maybe not even be a hurricane when it made landfall changes course and hit Gulf Shores as a cat 2 almost a 3. It rained all day the 15th, with the hurricane proper hitting around 9 PM and the eye hit GS around 3: AM on the 16th. A very intense storm that lifted my eight feet tall, three feet x three feet chimney box and landed it it the middle of my patio. I will post a picture when my internet is back to full strength. That happened an hour before the eye hit. During a lull I went across the street and scavenged a half sheet of 5/8 plywood, and put it in position so I could try to get it on the roof to cover the hole when eye came onshore. As soon as the eye hit I manage to manhandle the plywood into position, and seal the hole. An incredible experience, and after the cacophony of the first part, the eye was insanely quiet. Not a sound. Other than that we had very little damage. My wife and I came through unscathed and our power just came on after three days. That was awesome.
