Claudette (2009)

A broad area of low pressure over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico organized into a tropical depression about 50 nautical miles west-southwest of Sarasota, Florida, at 0600 UTC on 16 August 2009. The system moved north-northwest to northwest and became Tropical Storm Claudette by 1200 UTC that day. Claudette strengthened quickly the same afternoon, reached peak intensity by 1800 UTC on 16 August while about 35 nmi south of Apalachicola, Florida, and then weakened as wind shear increased. The circulation moved onshore in the Florida Panhandle and then inland through southern Alabama and Mississippi before dissipating by 0000 UTC on 18 August.

Claudette made landfall near Fort Walton Beach, Florida, around 0530 UTC on 17 August 2009 with maximum sustained winds near 40 knots (about 46 mph). After landfall it weakened to a tropical depression over southern Alabama and lost its surface center over Mississippi later the same day, ending its life as a distinct cyclone by 18 August.

The storm’s maximum analyzed intensity was 50 knots (about 58 mph) at 1800 UTC on 16 August, based on aircraft surface wind measurements; the minimum central pressure analyzed was 1005 mb at 0000 UTC on 17 August. At its peak Claudette was a moderate tropical storm (below hurricane strength).

Storm surge and rainfall were modest. The highest reported storm surge was about 3.0 feet at Indian Pass; storm-tide measurements included 3.50 ft at Indian Pass and about 2.85–2.85 ft at Apalachicola and East Pass (Destin). Measured storm-tide and surge estimates near Fort Walton and Panama City were generally 1–3 ft. The largest rainfall total reported was 4.66 inches at Milligan, Florida; other notable totals included about 4.00 inches at Port St. Joe and 3.93 inches at Cape San Blas.

Claudette caused minimal overall damage but was associated with two fatalities in Bay County, Florida: a 28-year-old man who drowned near Panama City Beach and a 45-year-old man who was reported missing and presumed drowned near Shell Island (the latter was later added to the toll). Impacts otherwise were limited to minor tree damage, scattered power outages, and localized beach erosion.

Noteworthy items: Claudette formed relatively close to land and existed as a tropical cyclone for less than two days, so warnings were issued with less than 24 hours’ lead time before landfall. Official track forecasts were fairly accurate for the short-lived storm, and a higher SFMR wind reading (58 kt) was judged contaminated by heavy rain and not used in the best-track peak intensity.