The beginning of this storm started from a tropical wave that moved off of Africa on September 11. It disappeared into a low pressure while in the Caribbean Sea several days later. The wave was found again on September 27 and was good enough to become Tropical Depression Eighteen. Tropical Depression Eighteen made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula shortly afterword. On September 30 Tropical Depression Eighteen strengthened into Tropical Storm Opal. Tropical Storm Opal continued west until October 2. On October 2 it turned northeast and strengthened into Hurricane Opal. After that Hurricane Opal strengthened fast and reached it's top winds of 150 mph (making it a category 4) on October 4, only two days after becoming a hurricane. Hurricane Opal continued northeast and weakened a little and made its last landfall in Santa Rosa Island, Florida on October 4 while a category 3 hurricane. Hurricane Opal became a tropical storm over central Alabama and did not weaken to a tropical depression till it was in Tennessee. Tropical Depression Opal became extratropical over the Ohio River Valley on October 5th.