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{{Infobox Hurricane| Name=Hurricane Ivan| Type=hurricane| Year=2004| Basin=Atl| Image location=Hurricane Ivan 13 sept 2004.jpg| Image name=Hurricane Ivan as a Category 5| Formed=[[September 2]], [[2004]]| Dissipated=[[September 24]], [[2004]]| 1-min winds=145| Pressure=910| Damages=19200| Inflated=2| Fatalities=92 direct, 32 indirect| Areas=Windward Islands (especially Grenada), Venezuela, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cuba, Alabama, Florida, and most of the eastern United States, (after rebirth) Texas, Louisiana| Hurricane season=2004 Atlantic hurricane season}}'''Hurricane Ivan''' was the strongest hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm formed as a [[Wikipedia:Cape Verde-type hurricane|Cape Verde-type hurricane]] in early September, and became the ninth named storm, the sixth hurricane, and the fourth major hurricane of the year. Ivan reached Category 5 strength on the [[Wikipedia:Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale|Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale]], the highest possible category, and it became the sixth (now ninth) most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, as well as the only Category 5 storm of the season.  Ivan caused catastrophic damage to Grenada, which it struck directly at Category 3 intensity, and heavy damage to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and the western tip of Cuba. After peaking in strength, it moved north-northwest across the Gulf of Mexico to make landfall as a strong Category 3 storm near [[Gulf Shores, Alabama]], causing very heavy damage. Ivan dropped heavy rains on the Southeastern United States as it looped across Florida and back into the [[Gulf of Mexico]]. The remnant low from the storm regenerated into a new tropical system, which moved into Louisiana and Texas, causing minimal damage. Ivan caused an estimated $13 billion worth of damage in the United States, making it the fifth costliest hurricane to ever strike the United States. Hurricane Ivan marked a major point in the history of the Pensacola area. The level of damage, unprecedented even to an area accustomed to tropical storms, has had significant long-term effects on nearly all aspects of the community. ==Timeline=={{storm path|Ivan 2004 track.png}}[[Image:Hurricane Ivan ISS.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The eye of Hurricane Ivan as seen from the International Space Station on [[September 11]], [[2004]].]]On [[September 2]], [[2004]], Tropical Depression Nine formed from a large tropical wave southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. As the storm moved to the west it gradually strengthened, becoming Tropical Storm Ivan on [[September 3]] and it reached hurricanestrength on [[September 5]] , 1150&nbsp;miles (1850&nbsp;km) to the east of Tobago. Later that day the storm began to rapidly intensify, and by 4 p.m. CDT, Ivan had become a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 125&nbsp;mph (200&nbsp;km/h). The National Hurricane Center noted the rapid strengthening of Hurricane Ivan on [[September 5]] was unprecedented at such a low latitude in the Atlantic basin.<ref name="TCR">[http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/2004ivan.shtml? NHC Tropical Cyclone Report for Hurricane Ivan]</ref><ref name=NHCdisc14">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al092004.discus.014.shtml?</ref> Hurricane Ivan weakened slightly as it continued to move west due to wind shear present in the area.<ref name="NHCdisc17">http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al092004.discus.017.shtml?</ref> The storm passed over Grenada on [[September 7]], battering several of the Windward Islands as it entered the Caribbean Sea. Ivan began to rapidly intensify again and became a Category 5 hurricane just north of the Windward Netherlands Antilles and Aruba on [[September 9]] with winds reaching 160&nbsp;mph (260&nbsp;km/h). Hurricane Ivan weakened slightly as it moved west-northwest, towards Jamaica. As Ivan approached the island late on [[September 10]], it began a westward jog which kept the eye and the strongest winds to the south and west. However, because it still came very close to the Jamaican coast the island was battered with hurricane-force winds for hours.<ref name="TCR"/> After passing Jamaica, it resumed its more northerly track, and regained Category 5 strength. Ivan's strength continued to fluctuate as it moved west on [[September 11]] and attained its highest winds of 170&nbsp;mph (275&nbsp;km/h) as it passed within 30&nbsp;miles (45&nbsp;km) of Grand Cayman. Ivan reached its peak strength with a minimum central pressure of 910&nbsp;mbar (hPa) on [[September 12]], making Ivan the ninth most intense Atlantic hurricane on record, as of October 2006. Hurricane Ivan passed through the Yucatán Channel late on [[September 13]] while its eyewall affected the westernmost tip of Cuba. Once over the [[Gulf of Mexico]], it weakened slightly to Category 4 strength, but maintained that intensity as it approached the Gulf Coast of the United States.<ref name="TCR"/> [[Image:IvanRadar-04Sep16-0650Z.gif|left|thumb|200px|Hurricane Ivan at landfall.]]Just before it made landfall in the United States, Hurricane Ivan's eyewall weakened considerably, and its southwestern portion almost disappeared in the hours before landfall. Around 2 a.m. CDT [[September 16]] (0700 UTC), Ivan made landfall on the U.S. mainland near Pensacola [[Gulf Shores, Alabama]] as a Category 3 hurricane with 120&nbsp;mph (195&nbsp;km/h) winds. Ivan then continued inland, maintaining hurricane strength until it was over central Alabama. Ivan rapidly weakened that evening and became a tropical depression the same day, still over Alabama. Ivan lost tropical characteristics on [[September 18]] while crossing Virginia and later that day the remnant low drifted off the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast into the Atlantic Ocean, and the low pressure disturbance continued to dump rain on the United States.<ref name="TCR"/> On [[September 20]] a small surface low, originating from the southern remnants of Ivan, completed an [[August 16Wikipedia:anticyclone|anticyclonic]]loop and moved across the Florida peninsula. As it continued west across the northern Gulf of Mexico, the system organized and took on tropical characteristics.<ref name="TCR"/> On [[2004September 22]]the National Weather Service, "after considerable and caused extensive damage to buildings sometimes animated in-house discussion [regarding] the demise of Ivan,"<ref>National Hurricane Center's [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2004/dis/al092004.discus.067.shtml? Tropical Depression IVAN Special Discussion Number 67], September 22 2004</ref> determined that the low was in fact a result of the remnants of Ivan and infrastructurethus named it accordingly. On the evening of [[September 23]], the revived Ivan made landfall near Cameron, Louisiana as a tropical depression. Ivan finally dissipated on [[September 24]] as it moved overland into Texas.<ref name="TCR"/> ==Impact=====Initial damage==={{main|Damage caused by Hurricane Ivan}}{{sectstub}} ===Casualties==={{sectstub}} ===Economic effects==={{main|Economic effects of Hurricane Ivan}}{{sectstub}} ==References==<references/>