Hurricane Eta

Hurricane Eta

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Eta just prior to peak intensity east of Nicaragua early on November 3
Formed	October 31, 2020
Dissipated	November 13, 2020
(Extratropical after November 13)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 150 mph (240 km/h)
Lowest pressure	923 mbar (hPa); 27.26 inHg
Fatalities	165 total; 127 missing
Damage	≥ $5.19 billion (2020 USD)
Areas affected	ABC Islands, Jamaica, Central America, Cayman Islands, Cuba, The Bahamas, Southeastern United States
Part of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Eta was a deadly, erratic, long-lived, and powerful Category 4 hurricane that killed more than 150 people and became the second most intense November Atlantic hurricane on record, only behind the 1932 Cuba hurricane. Eta was also the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States within the month of November since Mitch in 1998. The record-tying twenty-eighth named storm, twelfth hurricane, fifth major hurricane, and most powerful tropical cyclone of the extremely active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Eta originated from a vigorous tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea that developed into a tropical depression late on October 31. Early on November 1, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Eta. Later that day, Eta began to rapidly intensify, and it attained hurricane status early on November 2. Nine hours later, Eta intensified into a major hurricane before reaching Category 4 strength three hours later. Eta peaked at 150 mph (240 km/h) and 923 mbar (hPa; 27.26 inHg) as it slowed tremendously off the coast of Nicaragua early on November 3. An eyewall replacement cycle then caused the storm to weaken, but it remained at Category 4 strength as it made landfall south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, late that same day. Eta rapidly weakened to tropical storm status early on November 4. On November 5, it further weakened to a tropical depression as it moved northwestward into Honduras before turning northeastward back into the Caribbean the next day. On November 7, the system became better organized and re-strengthened into a tropical storm. The storm continued to strengthen, despite strong wind shear, into a strong tropical storm on November 8 before making landfall in south-central Cuba. It lost some strength over land in Cuba, but re-strengthened after moving back into the water and turning sharply to the northwest. It then made landfall in the Florida Keys on November 9 as it moved west and then southwest into the Gulf of Mexico before weakening again due to dry air. It eventually stalled in the southern Gulf before being pulled north as it gradually re-strengthened and briefly became a hurricane again on November 11 before another blast of dry air weakened it back to a tropical storm. It began to rapidly weaken after making another landfall in northern Florida before emerging into the Atlantic and fluctuating in intensity as it began extratropical transition.

Hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings were issued along the coast of Honduras and Northeastern Nicaragua as Eta approached. More than 10,000 people sought refuge at shelters in Puerto Cabezas and surrounding villages. Eta knocked down power lines and trees while damaging roofs and causing flooding in Puerto Cabezas. Overall, at least 153 fatalities across Central America have been attributed to the storm, including 62 in Honduras, 42 in Guatemala, 27 in Mexico, 17 in Panama, two in Nicaragua, two in Costa Rica, and one in El Salvador. 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 and South Florida as well as the southern half of Central Florida, bringing widespread flooding to the region. Eta's second approach and landfall bought storm surge and gusty winds to the west coast of Central Florida as well as additional heavy rainfall to northern Florida. One person was killed in Florida after being electrocuted in floodwaters from Eta. 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, killing another five people in the former two states.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

Map key

Saffir–Simpson scale

  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown

Storm type

Tropical cyclone

Subtropical cyclone

Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

At 15:00 UTC on October 28, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began monitoring the Southwestern Caribbean for the expected development of a broad area of low pressure within the following few days. At 12:00 UTC on October 29, the area of focus shifted to two merging tropical waves moving into the Eastern Caribbean that were expected to enter the region. The disturbance steadily moved westward into a more favorable upper-level environment and very warm waters. This allowed it to become better organized going into October 31, although there was some question as to whether it had formed a well-defined low-level circulation (LLC). However, by 21:00 UTC that day, satellite and microwave imagery confirmed that an LLC had formed and the NHC began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression Twenty-Nine. At 03:00 UTC on November 1, the system intensified into Tropical Storm Eta. Continuing westward in response to 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 (CDO) began to form atop its center.

Tropical Storm Eta at the beginning of its rapid intensification phase east of Nicaragua on November 1

After remaining at minimal tropical storm strength for 15 hours, Eta began to explosively intensify, reaching hurricane status at 09:00 UTC on November 2. Six hours later, the storm strengthened into a high-end Category 2 hurricane as a small pinhole eye became apparent in visible satellite imagery. Eta then reached Category 3 status at 18:00 UTC before becoming a Category 4 hurricane three hours later, with prolific lightning being observed in its eyewall. By this time, Eta had begun to slow down and turn west-southwestward in response to a mid-level ridge over the south-central United States. At 03:00 UTC on November 3, a Hurricane Hunter aircraft found the system still rapidly intensifying with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a pressure of 927 mbar (hPa; 27.38 inHg) as its forward speed continued to decrease. According to the NHC, the Regional Specialized Meteorological Center for the Atlantic, Eta maintained its peak winds as it reached its lowest recorded pressure of 923 mbar (hPa; 27.26 inHg) at 06:00 UTC, thus marking its peak intensity as a high-end Category 4 hurricane. However, it was reported by The Washington Post that several meteorologists believed 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. Despite remaining in a favorable environment, Eta began to weaken six hours after its peak intensity due to an eyewall replacement cycle, which it completed just as it made landfall at 21:00 UTC south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, with winds of 140 mph (225 km/h) and a pressure of 940 mbar (hPa; 27.76 inHg). Land interaction caused Eta to rapidly weaken as it moved slowly westward after landfall with its eye disappearing and its central convection weakening. It fell below major hurricane status just three hours after landfall at 00:00 UTC on November 4. Eta continued weaken rapidly, dropping to tropical storm status at 09:00 UTC, and to a tropical depression at 00:00 UTC on November 5.

Sea surface temperatures of 30 °C (86 °F) in the Caribbean Sea through November 2 allowed Eta to explosively intensify

Despite becoming extremely disorganized, Eta maintained its low-level circulation and began gradually turning northeastward, eventually moving back over the Caribbean Sea on November 6 and accelerating due to the influence of a developing mid- to upper-level trough over the Gulf of Mexico. On November 7, following a couple of center reformations, the system became better organized and re-strengthened into a tropical storm at 15:00 UTC on November 7. Despite the continued effects of strong wind shear, the storm continued to strengthen throughout the day and reached a secondary peak intensity with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a pressure of 991 mbar (hPa; 29.27 inHg) at 00:00 UTC on November 8. It then held its strength and decelerated slightly before making landfall on the south central coast of Cuba at 09:00 UTC. Eta weakened slightly after making landfall in Cuba's Sancti Spíritus Province, but this was short-lived as it quickly moved back over water in the Atlantic Ocean and began to re-strengthen again as it turned sharply northwestward around the northeastern side of an upper-level low that has formed over the extreme northwestern Caribbean Sea near the Isle of Youth.

Eta briefly gained a mid-level eye feature before dry air and wind shear stripped the center of most of its convection, although the storm was able to maintain its intensity as it grew in size and approached South Florida. At 04:00 UTC on November 9, Eta made its third landfall on the Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys with the same intensity as its Cuban landfall. It then passed just south of the extreme southwestern coast of Florida as it turned westward. Eta then turned southwestward under the influence of a strong deep-layer ridge across the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, and near the US East Coast. This also brought it into an area of even dryer air, causing the storm to weaken and its radius of gale-force winds to shrink. However, even after its center became sheared to the west of its convection, Eta began to re-intensify again over the warm waters of the Gulf. Eta than began to accelerate north-northeast around the western periphery of a deep-layer subtropical ridge as its the center reformed under this convection and an eye feature formed. Eta then regained minimal hurricane status at 12:35 UTC on November 11, reaching a fourth peak intensity with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h) and a pressure of 983 mbar (hPa; 29.03 inHg). Shortly after its upgrade however, another shot of dry air intrusion rapidly eroded the convective pattern and caused the eye feature to dissipate causing Eta to weaken back into a tropical storm at 18:00 UTC. The system turned further east and made landfall near Cedar Key, Florida at 09:00 UTC on November 12, possessing winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). The storm further degraded and weakened over land as it accelerated north-northeastward, eventually emerging over the waters of the Atlantic near the Florida/Georgia border at 18:00 UTC. It bottomed out with winds of 40 mph and 1004 mb before restregthening as began its extratropical transition. The storm completed its transition on November 13.

Preparations

Early on November 1, the governments of Honduras and Nicaragua issued Hurricane Watches 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. 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. A tropical storm watch was also issued from west of Punta Patuca westward to Punta Castilla late that same day.

Central America

Nicaragua

Eta right before landfall at Nicaragua on November 3 with heavy rain from the storm covering a large portion of Central America.

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. 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 to SINAPRED. 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. Just before the storm's arrival, the Nicaraguan Army moved red-helmeted troops to Puerto Cabezas to help in search and rescue efforts that would occur due to Eta. More than 10,000 people sought refuge at shelters in Puerto Cabezas and surrounding villages.

Honduras

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. The Honduran Air Force prepared two planes to send 4,000 pounds of food to La Mosquitia, Gracias a Dios. The National Police of Honduras was tasked to advise passengers of roadways blocked by a landslide or flooding. More than 20,000 pounds of food were stored at the Offices of Risk Management and National Contingencies in San Pedro Sula, ahead of the storm. In response to Hurricane Eta, in order to limit movements and protect human lives, the Honduran government canceled the Morazanico national holiday.

El Salvador

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. The Executive Hydroelectric Commission of the Lempa River cleared pipes to prevent flooding in communities along the river.

Costa Rica

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.

Panama

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). The Ministry of Public Works (MOP) advised residents to stay vigilant for possible flooding and landslides. MPO road crews were dispatched to ensure highways remained clear for travel.

Belize

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 (NEMO) urged residents to evacuate.

Caribbean

Cayman Islands

Eta shortly after re-gaining tropical storm status, approaching the Cayman Islands and Cuba on November 7

Once the Cayman Islands came close to the cone of Tropical Depression Eta on November 5, tropical storm watches were issued for Grand Cayman and all of the other islands. This came after Eta became forecast to become a tropical storm again before brushing by the islands. Government schools were closed in the islands on November 6 due to the threat of Eta. The next day, tropical storm warnings were put into effect for all of the islands.

Cuba

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. Later that day, these were upgraded to tropical storm warnings in some provinces.

The Bahamas

Late on November 6, tropical storm watches were issued for the northwestern Bahamas. The next day, these watches were upgraded to tropical storm warnings.

United States

Florida

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. 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. 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. Later, Hurricane Warnings were issued for the Florida Keys. 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.

Impact

Deaths and damage by territory

Country/Territory	Fatalities	Missing	Damage (2020 USD)	Ref
The Bahamas	0		Unknown
Belize	0		Unknown
Cayman Islands	0		Unknown
Costa Rica	2		$13.84 million
Cuba	0		Unknown
El Salvador	1		Unknown
Guatemala	46	99	Unknown
Honduras	63		$5 billion
Mexico	27	4	Unknown
Nicaragua	2		≥$178 million
Panama	17	24	Unknown
United States	7		Unknown
Totals:	165	127	≥ $5.191 billion

Eta's extreme intensity at the beginning of its lifetime followed by its erratic path afterwards bought widespread impacts across Central America, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, and Florida with heavy rainfall, strong winds, and flash flooding causing most of the damage.

Central America

Nicaragua

As Eta neared landfall, its powerful winds downed power lines and trees while causing flooding and damaging roofs in Puerto Cabezas. At the Getsemani School, where 215 people were sheltering, Eta's strong winds ripped 10 sheets of metal off the school's roof. No one was injured or killed in the incident. Many places are currently without power. The Wawa River that connects Puerto Cabezas to the rest of Nicaragua overflowed its banks. Two people in the municipality of Bonanza died after they were buried in a landslide while working in a mine. Overall, Eta caused C$6.128 billion ($178.4 million) of damage in Nicaragua.

Honduras

Flooding caused 559 residents to flee their homes and two others had to be rescued. 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. 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. The Permanent Contingency Commission of Honduras reported that 14 roads and 339 homes were destroyed. In Olanchito, 12 people, including two newborns, were trapped. A wall collapsed at a prison in El Progreso letting in waist-deep floodwaters, causing the evacuation of more than 600 inmates. At least 63 people have been killed across Honduras as a result of Eta, mainly due to landslides and drownings. 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. In Santa Barbara a 2-year-old girl was killed when she and her mother were swept away by floodwaters; the mother survived. Four members of the same family died in the municipality of Gualala due to heavy rains. A 13-year-old girl was killed when a mudslide caused her home to collapse in the village of Carmen. In Sulaco, a 15-year-old boy drowned while trying to cross a rain-swollen river. A 37-year-old man also drowned in San Manuel, in western Lempira department.

Total economic losses in Honduras are estimated in excess of 125 billion lempiras (US$5 billion).

Guatemala

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. A bridge crossing the Río Grande de Zacapa in Jocotán was washed away. At least 44 people died across Guatemala, while an additional 99 remain missing. An estimated 343,000 people were directly affected by the storm. The village of Queja near San Cristobal Verapaz in the center of the country was particularly hard-hit, with a landslide burying 150 homes. A search for the over 100 people buried and missing from the landslide was called off on November 11.

El Salvador

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. Despite a ban on fishing activities, one fisherman drowned off the coast of Playa El Espino in the Usulután Department.

Costa Rica

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. 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. In southern Costa Rica, a landslide onto a house killed two residents, a Costa Rican woman and an American man.

Panama

The National Civil Protection System in Panama, Sinaproc, reported that 200 homes were damaged by rainfall, possibly associated with Eta. The highway that connects the province of Chiriquí with Bocas del Toro collapsed near Hornito, blocking the passage of vehicles in both directions. Flooding in Panama's Chiriqui province, near the Costa Rica border killed 17 people.

Belize

Communities along the Macal and Mopan rivers in western Belize experienced severe flooding due to Hurricane Eta. Residents in low-lying areas of San Ignacio had to be evacuated from their homes.

Mexico

At least 27 people died as heavy rains attributed to Eta caused mudslides and swelled streams and rivers. 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 2000 homes were destroyed. In San Cristóbal de las Casas many neighborhoods were damaged by the flooding Amarillo and Fogótico rivers. An increase of 1500 m³s⁻¹ in flow at the Peñitas Dam has prompted evacuation plans. In Tabasco, more than 10 rivers have overflowed their banks.

Cayman Islands and Cuba

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.

Eta bought heavy rainfall in areas already dealing with overflowing rivers. Coastal zones in Cuba were also flooded and about 25,000 people were forced to evacuate.

United States

Florida

Tropical Storm Eta making landfall in the Florida Keys early on November 9.

The outer bands of Eta brought tropical storm-force gusts to South Florida beginning on November 7. A peak wind gust of 53 mph was reported in these outer bands near Dania Beach on November 7. Florida Power & Light reported just over 30,000 power outages in the Miami metropolitan area, including nearly 16,000 in Miami-Dade County alone. Overall, about 48,500 businesses and homes lost electricity throughout South Florida. Heavy rainfall also impacted the region, with a peak total of 15.79 in (401 mm) in Miramar, while rain gauges in Davie, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, and Sunrise observed more than 10 in (250 mm) of precipitation. 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. 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. One of the state's largest COVID-19 testing sites, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, was flooded.

On November 11, a sailboat became lodged partially underneath the Matlacha Bridge, causing the bridge to be temporarily closed thus cutting off transportation to and from Pine Island. 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. 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. 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.

The Carolinas and Virginia

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 five 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 inches (250 mm) of rain fell in some areas of North and South Carolina.

Aftermath

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. The agency began relief operations on November 4 in Nicaragua, and soon expanded to neighboring nations. 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. 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.

Nicaragua

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.

The Governments of Japan and Spain pledged to donate relief items.

Honduras

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.

A member of Restoring Family Links was dispatched to Honduras for administrative assistance.

Guatemala

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. By November 7, Taiwan and the United States collectively provided US$320,000 in funding to Guatemala to purchase food and water.

Records and distinctions

• Eta marks the first time that the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet has been used as the name of an Atlantic tropical storm.
• Eta is the earliest 28th tropical or subtropical storm on record in an Atlantic hurricane season, surpassing the old mark of December 30, which was set by Tropical Storm Zeta in 2005.
• The formation of Eta tied the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season as the most active on record along with the 2005 season (which had 27 named storms and one unnamed subtropical storm).
• Eta was the record-setting 12th tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Continental United States during the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
• Eta underwent the greatest 24-hour intensification of any storm in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, with sustained wind speeds increasing by 75 mph (120 km/h), growing into a Category 4 hurricane.
• Eta became the longest-lived November Atlantic tropical cyclone since the 1912 Jamaica hurricane.

See also

• Tropical cyclones in 2020
• List of Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Cuba hurricanes
• List of Florida hurricanes (2000–present)

Storms with similar tracks or impacts

• 1906 Florida Keys hurricane – A destructive Category 3 hurricane that took a winding and erratic path across the Caribbean and Florida
• 1932 Cuba hurricane – The only Category 5 November Atlantic hurricane on record; caused devastating impacts in Cuba
• Hurricane Fifi–Orlene (1974) – An extremely deadly Category 2 hurricane that bought catastrophic impacts to Central America
• Hurricane Joan–Miriam (1988) – Another destructive late-season Category 4 hurricane which crossed from the Atlantic to the East Pacific as a tropical storm
• Hurricane Gordon (1994) – Another late-season Category 1 hurricane that took a similar erratic track through Cuba and Florida
• Hurricane Cesar–Douglas (1996) – A devastating Category 1 hurricane that struck Central America
• Hurricane Wilma (2005) – A Category 5 hurricane that also explosively intensified in the Southwestern Caribbean
• Hurricane Felix (2007) – A deadly Category 5 hurricane devastated similar areas
• Tropical Storm Fay (2008) – A near-hurricane strength storm that took a similar winding path through the Caribbean and Florida

External links

• The National Hurricane Center's Advisory Archive on Hurricane Eta
• National Hurricane Center (NHC)
• Hurricane Eta hits Nicaragua and Honduras as Category 4 - Nov. 2, 2020
• Hurricane Eta - Nov 2020 from ReliefWeb