Hurricane Sally was a destructive Atlantic hurricane which became the first hurricane to make landfall in the U.S. state of Alabama since Ivan in 2004, coincidentally on the same date. The eighteenth named storm, and seventh hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Sally formed out of an area of disturbed weather which was first monitored over the Bahamas on September 10. The system grew a broad area of low-pressure on September 11, and was designated as a tropical depression late that day. Early the next day, the depression made landfall at Key Biscayne, and subsequently strengthened into Tropical Storm Sally that afternoon. Moderate northwesterly shear prevented significant intensification for the first two days, but convection continued to grow towards the center and Sally slowly intensified. On September 14, a center reformation into the center of the convection occurred, and data from a hurricane hunter reconnaissance aircraft showed that Sally rapidly intensified into a strong Category 1 hurricane. It further intensified into a Category 2 hurricane that evening. However, an increase in wind shear and upwelling of colder waters weakened Sally slightly back down to Category 1 on September 15. Despite this increase in wind shear, it unexpectedly re-intensified, reaching Category 2 status again early on September 16 before making landfall at peak intensity at 09:45 UTC on September 16 near Gulf Shores, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The storm rapidly weakened after landfall, becoming a remnant low early the next day.