Travel during hurricane season can be challenging – especially when a tropical storm like Ida is heading for the United States Gulf Coast.   Here are a few places to check out if your travel plans are taking you to, from and through Alabama, Florida, and Mississippi.

The United States Department of Commerce has a helpful site to assist with tracking so travelers can keep a watch on the storm’s path and answer Frequently Asked Questions.

Contact your airline or cruise line first during times of heightened weather concerns.   If your travel isn’t imperative, I would think about switching your flight to another time.  (Hurricane season ends at the end of this month and national travel alerts end December 4, 2009.)

Websites for individual airlines like Delta, for example, will post travel alerts and explain how to get up-to-the-minute alerts via e-mail or mobile devices.

The U.S. Department of State also has a very helpful travel alert website that should answer your general questions about hurricanes and where to go and what to do if you find yourself in this kind of a weather situation. Finally, the National Weather Service also provides a great resource for travelers during hurricane season – or any season.

Picture courtesy of Weather.com