Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | October 31,2020 |
Extratropical | November 13,2020 |
Dissipated | November 14,2020 |
Category 4 major hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 150 mph (240 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 922 mbar (hPa);27.23 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 189+ |
Missing | 120 |
Damage | $7.24 billion (2020 USD) |
Areas affected | |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Eta was a deadly and erratic tropical cyclone that devastated parts of Central America in early November 2020. The record-tying twenty-eighth named storm,thirteenth hurricane,and sixth major hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season,Eta originated from a vigorous tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea on October 31. The system rapidly organized as it progressed west,with the cyclone ultimately becoming a Category 4 hurricane on November 3. With a peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) and 922 millibars (922 hPa ;27.2 inHg ),it was the third most intense November Atlantic hurricane on record,behind the 1932 Cuba hurricane and Hurricane Iota,the latter of which formed just two weeks later in the same area. Some weakening took place as the system made landfall near Puerto Cabezas,Nicaragua,late that same day. Eta rapidly weakened to a tropical depression and briefly degenerated to a remnant low as it meandered across Central America for two days,before regenerating into a tropical depression and moving north over water. The storm later reorganized over the Caribbean as it accelerated toward Cuba on November 7,making a second landfall on the next day. Over the next five days,the system moved erratically,making a third landfall in the Florida Keys,on November 9,before slowing down and making a counterclockwise loop in the southern Gulf of Mexico,just off the coast of Cuba,with the storm's intensity fluctuating along the way. After briefly regaining hurricane strength on November 11,the system weakened back to a tropical storm once more,before making a fourth landfall on Florida on the next day,and proceeding to accelerate northeastward. Eta subsequently became extratropical on November 13,before dissipating off the coast of the Eastern United States on the next day.
Hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings were issued along the coast of Honduras and Northeastern Nicaragua as Eta approached. Once inland,Eta produced torrential rainfall and catastrophic wind,flood and storm surge damage across Central America. Eta was responsible for at least 175 deaths and over 100 others missing,and an estimated $8.3 billion (2020 USD) in storm related damages—primarily in Central America—were reported as of December 2020. [1] Once the system began to reorganize in the Caribbean,tropical storm watches were issued on November 5,in the Cayman Islands. More watches were issued in parts of Cuba,the northwestern Bahamas,and South Florida. Eta brought heavy rainfall and gusty winds to the Cayman Islands and Cuba,the latter of which was already dealing with overflowing rivers that prompted evacuations. Heavy rainfall and tropical-storm force winds were recorded across all of the Florida Keys,South Florida and the southern half of Central Florida,bringing widespread flooding. Eta's second approach and landfall brought storm surge and gusty winds to the west coast of Central Florida and supplemental rainfall to northern Florida. Moisture from the storm also combined with a cold front further to the north bringing heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the Carolinas and Virginia.
Relief efforts for those affected by the storm were extensive and widespread,involving several countries. Central America was already facing a humanitarian crisis which was further impacted by Hurricane Eta. [2] Approximately 2.5 million were affected by the storm,including 1.7 million in Honduras. Many Emergency Response Units were to be dispatched globally to help support affected people. About 98 tons of food and water were given to Nicaragua and Honduras from Panama. People left homeless were moved to various shelters after the storm had passed. Donations worth millions of USD have been given to affected countries to help recoveries. However,just two weeks later,relief efforts were greatly hampered by Hurricane Iota,which further worsened the disaster in the region.
Eta developed from a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa around October 22. The system slowly moved westward across the tropical Atlantic, accompanied by a large area of disorganized cloudiness, showers, and thunderstorms. [3] The National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring the disturbance for potential development into a tropical cyclone on October 29, as it moved across the Lesser Antilles and into the eastern Caribbean Sea. [4] On October 30, the disturbance moved west-northwestward and gradually became better organized. [5] This allowed for deep convection to become more consolidated going into October 31. By 18:00 UTC on that day, the system's deep convection had consolidated and a low-level circulation had become sufficiently well-defined, marking the formation of Tropical Depression Twenty-Nine centered about 105 mi (169 km) south of Pedernales, Dominican Republic. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Eta by 00:00 UTC on November 1, becoming the earliest 28th tropical or subtropical storm on record in an Atlantic hurricane season, surpassing the old mark of December 30, set by Tropical Storm Zeta in 2005. [6]
Steered westward by a low-to-mid-level ridge that extended from the subtropical Atlantic southwestward to Cuba and The Bahamas, Eta slowly organized throughout the day as a central dense overcast began to form atop its low-level center. [7] Surrounded by an environment of low vertical shear and high sea surface temperatures, Eta began to explosively intensify on November 2. It became a hurricane by 06:00 UTC that day, while located about 310 mi (500 km) south of Grand Cayman. [3] Nine hours later, it strengthened into a high-end Category 2 hurricane as a small pinhole eye became apparent in visible satellite imagery. [8] Its sustained winds increased to Category 4 intensity by 18:00 UTC that day, an increase of 50 mph (80 km/h) in about 12 hours. Eta's maximum sustained winds peaked at 150 mph (240 km/h) at 00:00 UTC on November 3; at the same time, the storm had a central pressure of 929 mbar (27.4 inHg). Eta then begun to slow down and turn southwestward in response to a mid-level ridge over the western Gulf of Mexico and Mexico. Even so, its maximum sustained winds remained unchanged through 06:00 UTC, during which time its minimum pressure fell to 922 mbar (27.2 inHg), with the storm reaching its peak intensity. [3] The Washington Post reported that several meteorologists believed that Eta peaked as a Category 5 hurricane based on satellite imagery estimates, as well as a lack of aircraft observations due to several mechanical issues; [9] however, in their post-season report, the NHC determined that Eta peaked as a 150 mph (240 km/h)-Category 4 hurricane. [3] Despite remaining in a very favorable environment, Eta began to weaken soon thereafter, due to an eyewall replacement cycle. [10] After drifting just offshore of the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua for several hours on November 3, [3] the hurricane made landfall just as it completed its eyewall replacement cycle at 21:00 UTC about 15 mi (24 km) south-southwest of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (230 km/h). [11] A storm surge of 26–33 feet (7.9–10.1 m) was reported at landfall. [3] Once inland, the hurricane rapidly weakened as it moved slowly westward over northern Nicaragua, diminishing to Category 2 intensity three hours after landfall, [12] and to a tropical storm by 12:00 UTC on November 4. [13] Twelve hours later, around 00:00 UTC on November 5, Eta weakened to a tropical depression while its center was located about 80 mi (130 km) east of Tegucigalpa, Honduras. By 06:00 UTC that morning, the storm degenerated into a remnant low, though it maintained its low-level vorticity maximum. [3] Operationally, the NHC continued issuing advisories on "Tropical Depression Eta" due to uncertainties about whether or not the surface circulation had dissipated. [14] [15]
The remnants of Eta emerged into the Gulf of Honduras around 00:00 UTC on November 6, and then, six hours later, regenerated into a tropical depression east of Belize, due to the steering influence of a developing mid- to upper-level trough over the Gulf of Mexico. The system re-strengthened into a tropical storm by 00:00 UTC on November 7 and accelerated east-northeastward later that day. [3] Despite the effects of southwesterly vertical wind shear and upper-level dry air approaching the inner core from the west, [16] the storm attained an intensity of 65 mph (105 km/h) at 00:00 UTC on November. It then moved counterclockwise along the periphery of a broad deep-layer cyclonic circulation. This movement took Eta across the southern coast of Cuba, about 30 mi (48 km) south-southeast of Sancti Spíritus, at 09:00 UTC on November 8, with winds of 65 mph (105 km/h). It emerged off the north coast of Cuba into the Straits of Florida six hours later. [3] There, it began to re-strengthen again, and briefly gained a mid-level eye feature, as it turned sharply northwestward around the northeastern side of an upper-level low that had formed over the extreme northwestern Caribbean Sea near the Isle of Youth. [17]
The storm continued to move along this course through early on November 9. Eta made its third landfall around 04:00 UTC that morning near Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys with sustained winds of near 65 mph (105 km/h), and then moved westward into the Gulf of Mexico. [3] Eta then turned southwestward under the influence of a strong deep-layer ridge across the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and near the East Coast of the U.S. Its overall appearance in satellite imagery from that morning was fragmented, with inner-core convection having become shallow and broken due to dry air. This caused the storm to weaken and its radius of gale-force winds to shrink. [18] It made a cyclonic loop to the north of the western tip of Cuba on November 10, with little change in strength. It then moved northward on November 11, briefly regaining hurricane intensity around 12:00 UTC, and simultaneously reaching its second peak intensity with sustained winds of 75 mph (121 km/h) and a barometric pressure of 983 mbar (29.0 inHg). [3] The eye feature quickly dissipated, weakening Eta back to a tropical storm six hours later, when its center was located about 115 mi (185 km) south-southwest of Tarpon Springs, Florida. [19] It then turned north-northeastward and made a final landfall near Cedar Key, Florida at 09:00 UTC on November 12, with sustained winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). The storm further degraded and weakened over land as it accelerated northeastward, eventually emerging over the waters of the Atlantic near the Florida–Georgia border at 18:00 UTC that same day. The system regained some of its lost intensity once back over water and it accelerated east-northeastward as it began its extratropical transition. By 09:00 UTC on November 13, while located near the coast of the Carolinas, it became an extratropical low. On the next day, Eta was absorbed by another frontal system to the north. [3]
Early on November 1, the governments of Honduras and Nicaragua issued Hurricane Watches and Warnings for the northeastern coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca to the Honduras–Nicaragua border and the northeastern coast of Nicaragua from the Honduras–Nicaragua border to Puerto Cabezas, respectively. [20] [21] Later that day, a hurricane warning was issued from the Honduras–Nicaragua border to Sandy Bay Sirpi while a tropical storm warning was issued for areas from Punta Patuca to the Honduras–Nicaragua border. [22] A tropical storm watch was also issued from west of Punta Patuca westward to Punta Castilla late that same day. [23]
With the threat of 14–21 feet (4.3–6.4 m) of storm surge along the coastline, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega issued a yellow alert for the departments of Jinotega, Nueva Segovia, and the North Caribbean Autonomous Region on October 31, which were upgraded to a red alert by November 2. [24] [25] Residents in coastal communities were advised to evacuate as supplies, including 88 tons of food, sleeping bags, hygiene kits, and plastic, were delivered to Puerto Cabezas according Nicaragua's National System for the Prevention, Mitigation and Attention of Disaster. [26] The Nicaraguan Navy helped evacuate more than 3,000 families from offshore islands to Puerto Cabezas as residents in the city waited in long lines to access cash machines while getting supplies. [27] [28] Just before the storm's arrival, the Nicaraguan Army moved its Humanitarian and SAR Unit (Unidad Humanitaria y de Rescate - UHR in Spanish) to Bilwi, Puerto Cabezas, to help in search and rescue efforts that would occur due to Eta. [29] [30] More than 10,000 people sought refuge at shelters in Puerto Cabezas and surrounding villages. [31]
A red alert was placed for Honduran departments of Gracias a Dios, Colón, Atlántida, Islas de la Bahía, and Olancho while a yellow alert was declared for Santa Bárbara, Francisco Morazán, Comayagua, El Paraíso, Yoro, and Cortés. A green alert was issued for Copán, Ocotepeque, Lempira, Intibucá, La Paz, Valle, and Choluteca. [32] The Honduran Air Force prepared two planes to send 4,000 pounds of food to La Mosquitia, Gracias a Dios. [33] The National Police of Honduras was tasked to advise passengers of roadways blocked by a landslide or flooding. [34] More than 20,000 pounds of food was stored at the Offices of Risk Management and National Contingencies in San Pedro Sula, ahead of the storm. [35] The national "feriado morazánico" holiday was also canceled. [36] [37]
The Civil Protection Directorate of El Salvador evacuated residents in Tecoluca after setting up 1,152 shelters across the country. The Autonomous Executive Port Commission considered temporarily closing the El Salvador International Airport due to Eta. [38] The Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River cleared pipes to prevent flooding in communities along the river. [39]
Costa Rica's National Meteorological Institute forecast widespread rainfall in association with the outer bands of Eta, primarily along the Pacific coastline. With flooding beginning during the overnight hours of November 2, the National Emergency Commission (NCE) established multiple shelters for evacuees. The agency planned to set up three types of shelters due to the COVID-19 pandemic: infected persons, suspected infected persons, and non-infected persons. Landslides were expected in many areas due to saturated soils. [40]
Although not in the direct path of Eta, the fringe effects of the hurricane were expected to cause disruptions in Panama. Seagoing vessels were alerted to dangerous swells in Caribbean waters along with wind gusts up to 37 mph (60 km/h). [41] The Ministry of Public Works advised residents to stay vigilant for possible flooding and landslides. MPO road crews were dispatched to ensure highways remained clear for travel. [42]
As flooding was a major threat because of heavy rainfalls, a flood warning was issued for all of Belize in preparation for Eta as the National Emergency Management Organization urged residents to evacuate. [43]
As the projected path for Eta showed the system coming close to Grand Cayman, a tropical storm watch and a flood warning were put into effect for Grand Cayman and all islands of the Cayman Islands on November 5. The watch became tropical storm warning the following day as Tropical Storm Eta moved closer. Government schools were closed in the islands, as were ports in George Town, Grand Cayman and Creek, Creek, Cayman Brac. [44]
On November 6, the Government of Cuba issued a tropical storm watch for the provinces of Camaguey, Ciego de Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, La Habana, Havana, Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth. [45] Later that day, these were upgraded to tropical storm warnings in some provinces. [46]
Late on November 6, the government of the Bahamas has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for its northwestern islands, including: the Abacos, Andros, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and New Providence. [47] The next day, these watches were upgraded to tropical storm warnings. [48]
On November 6, tropical storm watches were issued for the Florida Keys and parts of the coast of the Florida peninsula. The next day, these were upgraded to tropical storm warnings in the Florida Keys and the southern tip of the peninsula. [49] On November 7, Hurricane Watches and Warnings were issued parallelly for much of the Florida peninsula and both Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches were extended further north. [50] Residents of mobile homes and other vulnerable structures in the Florida Keys were told to evacuate ahead of Tropical Storm Eta as a state of emergency was declared in several counties including Monroe and Miami-Dade. [51] Later, Hurricane Warnings were issued for the Florida Keys. [52] The National Park Service shut down Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Dry Tortugas National Park during the storm’s passage. [53] All the warnings for Florida were cancelled by November 9, only to have more issued the next day along the western side of the state as Eta changed directions. [54] [55]
This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: the table below is pre-TCR and several updates were made in the TCR.(December 2023) |
Country/Territory | Fatalities | Missing | Damage (2020 USD) | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|
Belize | 0 | Unknown | ||
Cayman Islands | 0 | Unknown | ||
Colombia | 0 | $777,000 | [56] | |
Cuba | 0 | Unknown | ||
Costa Rica | 2 | $16.5 million | [57] [58] | |
El Salvador | 1 | Unknown | [59] | |
Guatemala | 53 | 96 | ≥ $386 million | [60] [61] [62] |
Honduras | 74 | 8 | $5 billion | [63] [64] [65] |
Mexico | 27 | 4 | Unknown | [66] |
Nicaragua | 2 | ≥ $178 million | [67] [68] | |
Panama | 19 | 12 | $11 million | [69] [70] |
United States | 11 | ≥ $1.65 billion | [71] [1] [72] [73] [74] | |
Totals: | 189+ | 120 | ≥ $7.24 billion |
Eta's intensity and catastrophic rainfall at the beginning of its lifetime followed by its erratic path afterwards bought widespread impacts across Central America, the Greater Antilles, and Florida.
Despite passing north of the San Andrés Island, part of the archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina, Eta still brought considerable damage to the island. Wind speeds of 75 km/h (47 mph) downed the trees and damaged houses, and Eta also caused severe flooding on the island. Damage across the archipelago reached COL$3 billion (US$777,000). [56] Across the archipelago, two people were injured and 141 families were affected. A total of 6 homes were destroyed while another 64 homes and 24 businesses suffered damage. [75]
As Eta neared landfall, its powerful winds downed power lines and uprooted trees while causing flooding and damaging roofs in Puerto Cabezas. [76] A storm surge of 26 to 33 feet (7.9 to 10.1 m) was reported when Eta made landfall. [3] At the Getsemani School, where 215 people were sheltering, Eta's strong winds ripped 10 sheets of metal off the school's roof. There were no injures or fatalities in the incident. [77] Significant rainfall occurred across much of Nicaragua, with a peak of 26.55 in (674 mm) reported at Puerto Corinto on the country's northwest Pacific coast. [3] Eta was responsible for death of two people in the municipality of Bonanza died after they were buried in a landslide while working in a mine. [67] Overall, Eta caused C$6.128 billion (US$178.4 million) of damage in Nicaragua. [68]
Hurricane Eta had disastrous effects on Honduras, largely due to catastrophic flooding. Flooding caused 559 residents to flee their homes and two others had to be rescued. [78] An estimated 80 percent of the agricultural sector was reported as lost by the Ministry of Agricultural Livestock. [79] At least 457 homes were damaged by floodwaters, 41 communities were cut off by washed-out roads, and at least nine bridges were destroyed including one in La Ceiba. [80] In La Ceiba, floodwaters rushed through streets, and the flooding also washed away a structure at a local cemetery. A ferry leaving Roatán was rocked by large waves and winds with 300 passengers onboard while trying to reach the port of La Ceiba. Nobody was injured or killed on the ferry. 60 fishermen were lost at sea for days off the coast of Honduras before making it back to shore. [81] [82] The Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras reported that 14 roads and 339 homes were destroyed. [83] In Olanchito, 12 people, including two newborns, were trapped. [84] A wall collapsed at a prison in El Progreso letting in waist-deep floodwaters, causing the evacuation of more than 600 inmates. [85] At least 74 people have been killed across Honduras as a result of Eta, mainly due to landslides and drownings. [63] Among the dead were at least four people, including three children, who were killed in the mountains outside the north coast city of Tela due to different landslides. [80] In Santa Barbara, a 2-year-old girl was killed when she and her mother were swept away by floodwaters; the mother survived. [80] Four members of the same family died in the municipality of Gualala due to heavy rains. [86] A 13-year-old girl was killed when a mudflow caused her home to collapse in the village of Carmen. [87] In Sulaco, a 15-year-old boy drowned while trying to cross a rain-swollen river. [88] A 37-year-old man also drowned in San Manuel, in the western part of the Lempira Department. [89] Total economic losses in Honduras are estimated in excess of 125 billion lempiras (US$5 billion). [64] [65]
According to the country's president, Alejandro Giammattei, at least 60% of the eastern city of Puerto Barrios was flooded with another 48 hours of rain expected. About 100 homes were damaged by flooding and landslides. [57] A bridge crossing the Río Grande de Zacapa in Jocotán was washed away. [90] At least 53 people died across Guatemala, while an additional 96 remain missing. [62] An estimated 343,000 people were directly affected by the storm. [91] The village of Queja near San Cristobal Verapaz in the center of the country was particularly hard-hit, with a landslide burying 150 homes. [61] Over 100 people were buried from the landslide, and rescuers began searching them on November 9. [92] However, the searching was called off two days later. [93] Infrastructural damage were amounted to be exceed Q3 billion (US$386 million). [62]
Heavy rainfall affected much of El Salvador as Eta passed to the northeast. Accumulations generally exceeded 2.8 in (70 mm) with a maximum of 6.3 in (160 mm) in the La Unión Department. A total of 107 communities experienced power outages. Nationwide, 1,991 people required evacuation due to floods and landslides. [94] Despite a ban on fishing activities, one fisherman drowned off the coast of Playa El Espino in the Usulután Department. [59] [94]
The outer bands of Hurricane Eta brought heavy rainfall to portions of Costa Rica. The heaviest rains were concentrated along the nation's Pacific coast, especially in Guanacaste Province. [95] Multiple reports of flooding and landslides occurred nationwide, 12 rivers saw increased levels, prompting concern for further flooding, and 26 people required evacuation in Corredores and Parrita. [96] In southern Costa Rica, a landslide onto a house killed two residents, a Costa Rican woman and an American man. [57] Preliminary damage in the nation were almost ₡10 billion (US$16.5 million). [58]
The National Civil Protection System in Panama, Sinaproc, reported that 200 homes were damaged by rainfall, possibly associated with Eta. [97] The highway that connects the province of Chiriquí with Bocas del Toro collapsed near Hornito, blocking the passage of vehicles in both directions. [98] Flooding in Panama's Chiriqui province, near the Costa Rica border killed 19 people. [69] Agricultural loss was estimated at US$11 million. [70]
Hurricane Eta brought approximately 20 inches of rain to Belize causing severe flooding in Cayo District and Belize District. The worst effects were felt in Cayo District, where the Macal and Mopan rivers rose more than 8.8 metres (29 ft), inundating communities from Arenal (on the border with Guatemala) to Roaring Creek. [99] [100] [101] [102] Residents in low-lying areas had to be evacuated from their homes. [100] [103] Approximately 60,000 people in Belize were affected. [99]
At least 27 people died as heavy rains attributed to Eta caused swelled streams and rivers. [66] Over 80,000 people were affected in the Mexican states of Chiapas and Tabasco by rains of Hurricane Eta and a cold front. In the Chiapas highlands, more than 2,000 homes were destroyed. In San Cristóbal de las Casas, many neighborhoods were damaged by the flooding Amarillo and Fogótico rivers. An increase of 1,500 cubic metres per second (53,000 cu ft/s) in flow at the Peñitas Dam prompted evacuation plans. In Tabasco, more than 10 rivers overflowed their banks. [104]
Eta brushed by the Cayman Islands just as it intensified back into a tropical storm, producing major impacts across the islands with Grand Cayman being hit the hardest. Wave action off the coast caused minor flooding on the coasts. Downed trees and tree branches also resulted. Power outages became widespread across the islands with tropical-storm force winds causing damage to power lines. [105]
Eta bought heavy rainfall in areas already dealing with overflowing rivers. [106] Coastal zones in Cuba were also flooded and about 25,000 people were forced to evacuate. [107]
The outer bands of Eta brought tropical storm-force gusts to South Florida beginning on November 7. A peak wind gust of 53 mph (85 km/h) was reported in these outer bands near Dania Beach on November 7. [108] Florida Power & Light reported just over 30,000 power outages in the Miami metropolitan area, including nearly 16,000 in Miami-Dade County alone. [109] [110] Overall, about 48,500 businesses and homes lost electricity throughout South Florida. [109] Heavy rainfall also impacted the region, with a peak total of 20.74 in (527 mm) in Pembroke Pines, while rain gauges elsewhere in Pembroke Pines and nearby Miramar observed more than 14 in (360 mm) of precipitation. [111] Street flooding occurred in Broward, northern Miami-Dade, and Monroe counties. One person was taken to the hospital in South Florida after being rescued from flooded roads. [109] In Brickell, recently installed storm water pumps to deal with tidal flooding and storms helped clear the flood water from the rain and high tide event. [112] One of the state's largest COVID-19 testing sites, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, was flooded. [113]
On November 11, a sailboat became lodged partially underneath the Matlacha Pass Bridge, causing the bridge to be temporarily closed thus cutting off transportation to and from Pine Island. [114] Around the same area two other boats sank due to turbulent surf caused by the storm and a dock at the Bridgewater Inn floated away. [114] The Sanibel Causeway was also shut down due to storm surge and heavy rain. [115] A man died in Bradenton Beach when he was electrocuted by an appliance in standing water caused by the storm and a firefighter was injured as he tried to access the home. [116] [117] Flooding in Pinellas County caused 33 people to be rescued by the Pinellas County Sheriff Office from homes and roadways and in Gulfport, five sailboats became unanchored and ran aground or were pushed up against a seawall. [118] In Sarasota, the wettest November day on record was recorded. [119] An EF0 tornado also ripped the porch off a house in Verna on November 11. [120] Losses statewide were estimated at US$1 billion. [74]
Officially, Eta made two landfalls in Florida - it hit the central part of the Florida Keys late Sunday, November 7, and made landfall again at about 4 a.m. Thursday, November 12, near Cedar Key, roughly 130 mi (210 km) north of Tampa. [121]
Moisture from Eta combined with a cold front moving eastward across the Eastern United States, generating extremely heavy rainfall across Virginia and the Carolinas. At least eleven [73] people were killed due to flooding in the Carolinas, including a child, while over 33 people were rescued in a flooded campground. In Charlotte, North Carolina, more than 140 people were rescued from a school when floodwaters reached the first-floor windows. In Raleigh, North Carolina, multiple car accidents occurred due to slick roads. All lanes of Interstate 95 near the city were closed due to flooding. Over 10 in (250 mm) of rain fell in some areas of North and South Carolina. [122] The storm resulted in at least $20.4 million in North Carolina. [123] In Maryland, the St. Mary’s River reached one of its ten highest water levels due to the storm. [124]
This section needs to be updated.(November 2020) |
Much of Central America was already facing a humanitarian crisis, as an estimated 5.3 million people were in need of assistance as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. [125] Due to Hurricane Eta's destruction, the economic situation worsened and more people were left in need of aid. With damage from Hurricane Eta spanning the entirety of Central America, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched a "massive, multi-country operation". An estimated 2.5 million people were directly affected by the storm, including 1.7 million in Honduras. [126] The agency began relief operations on November 4 in Nicaragua, and soon expanded to neighboring nations. [127] The IFRC dispatched a plane and two trucks carrying 98 tons of relief goods from Panama to Honduras and Nicaragua by November 10. Several Emergency Response Units stationed globally were to be dispatched to affected areas. An emergency appeal for 20 million Swiss francs (US$22 million) was made to supplement local Red Cross activities in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. [126] Numerous agencies coordinated with the IFRC to establish shelters and provide relief. The American, Swiss, Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, and German Red Cross were positioned to assist any operations. Airbnb readied its Open Homes partnership in Honduras and Nicaragua, providing residents with free housing. [127]
The relief effort was severely hampered just two weeks later by the stronger Hurricane Iota, which made landfall approximately 15 miles (24 km) south of where Eta moved ashore. [128] [129] Extreme rainfall and mudflows caused by the storm destroyed or damaged much of what was being rebuilt. [130] A member of Restoring Family Links was dispatched to Honduras for administrative assistance. [127]
Soon after Eta made landfall, NASA's Earth Applied Sciences Disasters program began working with various regional authorities in Central America to use satellite images and data to help teams on the ground analyze the storm's impact as they rescued people in its path. Information was also shared when Iota developed and moved toward the region. In the aftermath of these successive hurricanes, NASA continues to provide information to help national and local authorities in the region identify, assess and reduce the risks related to future hurricanes. [131] [132]
Initial relief efforts in Nicaragua were stymied by extensive flooding and persistent rainfall. The Nicaraguan Red Cross coordinated distribution of supplies with the nation's government. By November 8, 14,362 people remained in shelters and required hygiene supplies. The Nicaraguan Government provided 88 tons of food to the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, the hardest hit area. [127] The governments of Japan and Spain pledged to donate relief items. [133] [134]
With extensive damage across the country, Honduras's Secretary of Infrastructure and Public Services and Institute for Community Development and Water and Sanitation divided relief operations into three zones. The Government of Honduras allocated US$2 million in funds and formally appealed for international aid on November 5. By November 7, more than 16,000 people had been rescued while 65,912 people remained isolated across 64 communities. The IFRC expressed concern over an increase in post-traumatic stress disorder, similar to what took place after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. Access to clean water was significantly disrupted due to high turbidity and power outages, though 60% of service was restored by November 7. [127] Together, Hurricanes Eta and Iota killed around 100 Hondurans, and local analysts estimated the damage would cost the country more than $10 billion (L244.1 billion) in damages. [135]
Though distribution systems in some regions of Honduras collapsed after Hurricane Eta, some of the water, sanitation, and hygiene services (WASH) have been restored as of June 2021. [136] The economy has slowly began to recover in the months after destruction. [136]
With assistance from CONRED (Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres), the Government of Guatemala focused relief efforts in the departments of Izabal, Petén, and Alta Verapaz. [127] By November 7, Taiwan and the United States collectively provided US$320,000 in funding to Guatemala to purchase food and water. [137] Israeli humanitarian aid agency IsraAID's locally based team arrived in Alta Verapaz, on November 9 and provided psychological first aid, medical support, relief items, hygiene kits, and water filters. [138]
Due to the damage and loss of life brought about by the storm, especially in Central America, the Greek letter Eta , from the auxiliary storm name list, was retired by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in March 2021, and will never be used again for an Atlantic tropical cyclone. The WMO also decided to discontinue the use of the Greek alphabet auxiliary list, and replaced it with a new 21-name supplemental list for use when a regular naming list is exhausted. [139] [140]
Hurricane Michelle was the fifth costliest tropical cyclone in Cuban history and the strongest hurricane of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season. The thirteenth named storm and seventh hurricane that year, Michelle developed from a tropical wave that had traversed into the western Caribbean Sea on October 29; the wave had initially moved off the coast of Africa 13 days prior. In its early developmental stages, the depression meandered over Nicaragua, later paralleling the Mosquito Coast before intensifying into tropical storm intensity on November 1; Michelle was upgraded to hurricane strength the following day. Shortly after, rapid intensification ensued within favorable conditions, with the storm's central barometric pressure dropping 51 mbar in 29 hours. After a slight fluctuation in strength, Michelle reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 140 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 933 mbar. This tied Michelle with 1999's Lenny as the fourth most powerful November hurricane on record in the Atlantic Basin, behind only the 1932 Cuba hurricane and 2020 Hurricanes Iota and Eta. At roughly the same time, the hurricane began to accelerate northeastward; this brought the intense hurricane to a Cuban landfall within the Bay of Pigs later that day. Crossing over the island, Michelle was weakened significantly, and was only a Category 1 hurricane upon reentry into the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane later transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over The Bahamas on November 5, before being absorbed by a cold front the following day.
The 1931 Atlantic hurricane season was an active hurricane season, with a total of 13 storms recorded, which was the most since 1916. However, only three of them intensified into hurricanes and just one reached major hurricane intensity, which is Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale. Nine of the tropical cyclones were identified in real-time, while evidence of the existence of four other tropical cyclones was uncovered by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in 2012 and added to the Atlantic hurricane database. Additionally, two of the tropical storms were upgraded to hurricane status as part of the reanalysis.
Hurricane Gert was a large tropical cyclone that caused extensive flooding and mudslides throughout Central America and Mexico in September 1993. The seventh named storm and third hurricane of the annual hurricane season, Gert originated as a tropical depression from a tropical wave over the southwestern Caribbean Sea on September 14. The next day, the cyclone briefly attained tropical storm strength before moving ashore in Nicaragua and proceeding through Honduras. It reorganized into a tropical storm over the Gulf of Honduras on September 17, but weakened back to a depression upon crossing the Yucatán Peninsula. Once over the warm waters of the Bay of Campeche, Gert quickly strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane by September 20. The hurricane made a final landfall on the Gulf Coast of Mexico near Tuxpan, Veracruz, with peak winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). The rugged terrain disrupted the cyclone's structure; Gert entered the Pacific Ocean as a depression near the state of Nayarit on September 21, where it briefly redeveloped a few strong thunderstorms before dissipating at sea five days later.
The 1934 Central America hurricane was a deadly tropical cyclone during the 1934 Atlantic hurricane season which caused at least 506 fatalities in Central America. Its peak strength, attained while in the Gulf of Mexico, was equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane on the modern Saffir–Simpson scale. The storm's path was erratic, beginning in the Gulf of Honduras on June 4 shortly before making its first landfall in British Honduras as a tropical storm. It then took a looping course through Guatemala before reemerging into the Gulf of Honduras on June 8. The storm struck the northeastern Yucatán Peninsula as a hurricane on June 9, crossing into the western Gulf of Mexico where its course made another loop. An accelerated northward course followed, leading to the hurricane's landfall along the Louisiana coast on June 16. It weakened over land and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on June 18, accelerating northeast towards the Canadian Maritimes thereafter.
Hurricane Felix was an extremely powerful Category 5 Atlantic hurricane which was the southernmost-landfalling Category 5 storm on record, surpassing Hurricane Edith of 1971. It was the sixth named storm, second hurricane, and second Category 5 hurricane of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season. Felix formed from a tropical wave on August 31, passing through the southern Windward Islands on September 1 before strengthening to attain hurricane status. On the next day, Felix rapidly strengthened into a major hurricane, and early on September 3 it was upgraded to Category 5 status; at 2100 UTC on the same day, the hurricane was downgraded to Category 4 status, but strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane for the second and final time by the morning of September 4.
Hurricane Marco caused significant flooding in the Greater Antilles and Central America, despite remaining well offshore. The thirteenth tropical cyclone, thirteenth named storm, and ninth hurricane of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, Marco developed in the western Caribbean Sea on November 16 after the interaction of a cold front and several tropical waves. Initially a tropical depression, it remained weak as it tracked southwestward and eventually southward. By November 19, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Marco, shortly before slowly curving in a general eastward direction. Marco briefly became a hurricane on November 20, though upper-level winds caused it to weaken back to a tropical storm later that day. The storm then tracked northeastward toward Hispaniola, but later become nearly stationary and curve eastward, then doubled-back to the west.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, in terms of number of systems. It featured a total of 31 tropical or subtropical cyclones, with all but one cyclone becoming a named storm. Of the 30 named storms, 14 developed into hurricanes, and a record-tying seven further intensified into major hurricanes. It was the second and final season to use the Greek letter storm naming system, the first being 2005, the previous record. Of the 30 named storms, 11 of them made landfall in the contiguous United States, breaking the record of nine set in 1916. During the season, 27 tropical storms established a new record for earliest formation date by storm number. This season also featured a record ten tropical cyclones that underwent rapid intensification, tying it with 1995, as well as tying the record for most Category 4 hurricanes in a singular season in the Atlantic Basin. This unprecedented activity was fueled by a La Niña that developed in the summer months of 2020, continuing a stretch of above-average seasonal activity that began in 2016. Despite the record-high activity, this was the first season since 2015 in which no Category 5 hurricanes formed.
Hurricane Sandra was the latest-forming major hurricane in the northeastern Pacific basin, the strongest Pacific hurricane on record in November, and the record eleventh major hurricane of the 2015 Pacific hurricane season. Originating from a tropical wave, Sandra was first classified as a tropical depression on November 23 well south of Mexico. Environmental conditions, including high sea surface temperatures and low wind shear, were highly conducive to intensification and the storm quickly organized. A small central dense overcast developed atop the storm and Sandra reached hurricane status early on November 25 after the consolidation of an eye. Sandra reached its peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a pressure of 934 mbar early on November 26. Thereafter, increasing shear degraded the hurricane's structure and weakening ensued. Rapid weakening took place on November 27 and Sandra's circulation became devoid of convection as it diminished to a tropical storm that evening. The cyclone degenerated into a remnant low soon thereafter and ultimately dissipated just off the coast of Sinaloa, Mexico, on November 29.
Hurricane Otto was a strong late-season tropical cyclone that impacted parts of Central America in November 2016. It was the first Atlantic hurricane since Cesar–Douglas in 1996 to survive the crossover from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Forming late on November 20 in the southwestern Caribbean Sea, Otto was the fifteenth and final named storm, seventh hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season. It quickly intensified into a strong tropical storm the next day, and on November 23–24, rapidly strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane, the first in the month of November since Hurricane Paloma in 2008, and the latest date an Atlantic hurricane attained such intensity on record. Otto made landfall in Nicaragua at peak intensity on November 24, thus becoming the latest hurricane to make landfall in the Atlantic basin since 1851 when records began. Traveling along the Nicaragua–Costa Rica border, the system rapidly weakened to a tropical storm before emerging over the eastern Pacific Ocean, becoming the final storm of the 2016 Pacific hurricane season as well. Hostile environmental conditions inhibited reorganization, and Otto subsequently degenerated into an elongated trough on November 26.
Hurricane Nate was a deadly and destructive tropical cyclone which was the costliest natural disaster in Costa Rican history. An unusually fast-moving tropical cyclone, it caused severe flooding in Central America, leading to widespread destruction and casualties, during early October 2017, before making landfall on the US Gulf Coast. The fourteenth named storm and ninth hurricane of the extremely active 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Nate originated from a broad area of low pressure over the southwestern Caribbean on October 3. The disturbance moved northwest, organizing into a tropical depression the next day and attaining tropical storm intensity early on October 5. The storm made landfall in Nicaragua that same day and continued into Honduras with little change in strength. Nate began steady intensification over the warm waters of the northwestern Caribbean Sea shortly thereafter. It attained hurricane strength while moving through the Yucatán Channel early on October 7, attaining peak winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) in the central Gulf of Mexico later that day. Early on the next day, Nate made landfall near the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. After crossing the marshland of the Mississippi Delta, it made its second U.S. landfall near Biloxi, Mississippi early on October 8, causing a storm surge to flood the ground floors of coastal casinos and buildings, as well as causing rip currents, hurricane-force winds, and beach erosion.
Tropical Storm Selma was the first tropical storm on record to make landfall in El Salvador, and only the second Pacific tropical cyclone to attain tropical storm strength east of 90°W, the other being Alma of 2008. The twentieth tropical cyclone and eighteenth named storm of the 2017 Pacific hurricane season, Selma formed from a Central American gyre on October 27. The storm tracked northeastward and reached its peak intensity as a minimal tropical storm before making landfall east of San Salvador, El Salvador early on October 28. Selma rapidly weakened after making landfall, and its remnant circulation dissipated overland at 18:00 UTC on the same day.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record in terms of number of named storms. Additionally, it was an above-average season for tropical cyclones for the fifth consecutive year. The season officially began on June 1, 2020, and ended on November 30, 2020. These dates, adopted by convention, historically delimit the period each year when most Atlantic tropical systems form. However, storm formation is possible at any time of the year, as was the case this season, when its first two named storms, Tropical Storm Arthur and Tropical Storm Bertha, formed on May 16 and May 27, respectively. The final storm, Hurricane Iota, dissipated on November 18.
Hurricane Marco was the first of two tropical cyclones to threaten the Gulf Coast of the United States within a three-day period. The thirteenth named storm and third hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Marco developed from a fast-moving tropical wave west of the Windward Islands and south of Jamaica on August 20. The fast motion of the wave inhibited intensification initially, but as the wave slowed down and entered a more favorable environment, the system developed into a tropical depression, which in turn rapidly intensified into a strong tropical storm. Due to strong wind shear, Marco's intensification temporarily halted. However, after entering the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico on August 23, Marco briefly intensified into a hurricane, only to quickly weaken later that evening due to another rapid increase in wind shear. Marco subsequently weakened to a tropical depression before degenerating into a remnant low early the next morning. Marco's remnants subsequently dissipated on August 26.
Hurricane Gamma was a tropical cyclone that brought heavy rains, flooding, and landslides to the Yucatán Peninsula in early October 2020. The twenty-fifth depression, twenty-fourth named storm and ninth hurricane of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Gamma developed from a vigorous tropical wave that had been monitored as it was entering the Eastern Caribbean on September 29. The wave moved westward and slowed down as it moved into the Western Caribbean, where it began to interact with a dissipating cold front. A low formed within the disturbance on October 1 and the next day, it organized into a tropical depression. It further organized into Tropical Storm Gamma early the next day. It continued to intensify and made landfall as a minimal hurricane near Tulum, Mexico, on October 3. It weakened over land before reemerging in the Gulf of Mexico. Gamma then briefly restrengthened some before being blasted by high amounts of wind shear, causing it to weaken again. It made a second landfall as a tropical depression in Nichili, Mexico on October 6 before dissipating as it was absorbed by the approaching Hurricane Delta.
Hurricane Iota was a devastating late-season tropical cyclone which caused severe damage to areas of Central America already devastated by Hurricane Eta two weeks prior. The 31st and final tropical cyclone, 30th named storm, 14th hurricane, and record-tying seventh major hurricane of the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Iota originated as a tropical wave that moved into the Eastern Caribbean on 10 November. Over the next few days, the wave began to become better organized and by 13 November, it developed into a tropical depression north of Colombia. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Iota six hours later. The storm was initially impacted by some wind shear, but a center relocation and relaxed shear allowed Iota to quickly strengthen into a hurricane on 15 November, after which it underwent explosive intensification, peaking as a high-end Category 4 hurricane, with wind speeds of 155 mph (249 km/h). After weakening slightly, Iota made landfall in northeastern Nicaragua as a mid-range Category 4 hurricane, becoming the strongest recorded hurricane to make landfall in Nicaragua in November. Iota then rapidly weakened as it moved inland, dissipating on 18 November.
Tropical Storm Philippe was a weak and disorganized tropical cyclone which affected Central America, Cuba, and Florida during October 2017. The sixteenth named storm of the extremely-active 2017 Atlantic hurricane season, Philippe originated from the interaction of a tropical wave which exited the coast of West Africa on October 16, and the Central American Gyre on October 24. This formed a broad area of low pressure the next day, that later organized into a tropical depression at 12:00 UTC on October 28. The depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Philippe just six hours later, before making landfall west of the Bay of Pigs in Cuba just a few hours later. Philippe quickly degraded into a tropical depression inland, before dissipating at 0:00 UTC the following day. The remnants later formed into a new low pressure area off the coast of Florida before merging with a cold front, later that same day.
Hurricane Bonnie was a strong tropical cyclone that survived the crossover from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, the first to do so since Hurricane Otto in 2016. The second named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, it originated from a strong tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on June 23. Moving with little development despite favorable conditions, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) started advisories on it as Potential Tropical Cyclone Two late on June 27, due to its imminent threat to land. The disturbance finally organized into Tropical Storm Bonnie at 13:15 UTC on July 1, and made brief landfalls on the Costa Rica–Nicaragua border with winds of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h). It later became the fourth named storm, third hurricane, and first major hurricane of the 2022 Pacific hurricane season after crossing Nicaragua and Costa Rica from east to west on July 2 and intensifying to a Category 3 hurricane on July 5. Bonnie rapidly weakened, dissipating over the North Pacific.
Hurricane Julia was a deadly tropical cyclone that caused significant impacts in Central America as a Category 1 hurricane in October 2022. The tenth named storm and fifth hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, Julia formed from a tropical wave over the southern Caribbean Sea on October 7, just off the coast of South America. Only one storm on record, Tropical Storm Bret in 1993, has tracked further south over South America.
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