Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Increasing flash flood threat looms in Texas as heat scorches recovery zone. Click for details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

71°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

71°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Hurricane

Formation of Tropical Storm Iota adds to record 2020 storm tally

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Nov 12, 2020 5:44 PM EDT | Updated Nov 15, 2020 6:36 AM EDT

Copied

Tropical Storm Iota developed Friday afternoon in the central Caribbean just hours after the system had become Tropical Depression 31. It could become the next hurricane —the 13th of the season — and just two shy of the record number of hurricanes to churn in the Atlantic in one season held by 2005.

Forecasters are warning that Iota may strengthen enough to become a hurricane before it takes aim at the nations of Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala that are still reeling from Hurricane Eta's disastrous strike last week. In fact, the storm took shape in nearly the same exact place that Eta formed less than two weeks ago.

Central America is facing a humanitarian crisis following Eta's deadly blow. Millions are enduring dangerous conditions in the storm's wake -- with concerns over waterborne diseases and COVID-19 complicating recovery. And the situation could become even more dire. 

Satellite imagery of Tropical Storm Iota on Nov. 13, 2020. (NOAA/GOES-East)

(NOAA/GOES-East)

"I am greatly concerned we may soon have another major disaster on our hands in Central America if this Caribbean tropical system pans out like we suspect," AccuWeather's top hurricane expert Dan Kottlowski said.

Maximum sustained winds of Iota were 70 mph at 10 p.m. EST on Saturday, the system crawling westward at 5 mph. This is the first time the NHC has ever gotten this far into the Greek alphabet during a tropical season.

Conditions will be conducive for further strengthening as waters remain very warm -- around 84 degrees Fahrenheit -- in the area where the storm is churning. The weak wind pattern over the Caribbean will also likely factor into intensification of the system over the next several days.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

In the early stages of development, the system tended to be rather spread out in nature with showers and thunderstorms extending from the northern shores of South America to the large islands of the northern Caribbean.

But as the system continues to organize and strengthen, showers and thunderstorms have become more compact over the western Caribbean this weekend. The disturbed weather could once again expand in areal coverage and intensity as the system nears Central America early this week.

It could take a run at Nicaragua or Honduras as a major hurricane with winds of 111 mph (178 km/h) or greater, but even a weaker, drenching tropical storm could unleash life-threatening impacts and catastrophic damage in Eta's aftermath. Eta struck Nicaragua as a Category 4 hurricane, ranking among the top five strongest storms to ever hit the nation. The dangerous storm carved a path of destruction through Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala, unleashing feet of rain, tremendous flooding and killing more than 100 in early November.

"There is also the potential for this system to take a more northwesterly path over the western Caribbean, which could bring a strong hurricane close to Belize or possibly part of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. We will have a better grasp of where this system is likely to track once the feature reaches a solid tropical storm intensity," Kottlowski said.

The greatest threat to lives and property from the new cyclone is expected to be dealt by serious flooding caused by feet of rainfall. Major river flooding and flash flooding could occur. The exact track it takes and its strength and forward speed as it plows onshore in Central America will determine how grim the situation will become.

"I do not recall ever seeing back-to-back hurricane strikes in the same general area of Central America, but with the craziness of this hurricane season, we cannot rule that out at this early stage," Kottlowski said.

It is possible the system's path may become erratic as it approaches and moves over Central America, since the winds expected to guide the system along are likely to weaken -- a similar scenario to what unfolded as Eta neared the region in early November.

A satellite image of Tropical Storm Iota moving over the Caribbean Sea on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020. (NOAA / AccuWeather)

(NOAA / AccuWeather)

Weak steering winds caused a similar effect back when Hurricane Mitch slammed the area in late October and early November of 1998. Mitch peaked as a Category 5 hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (290 km/h), over the western Caribbean, but it weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with 80-mph (130-km/h) winds prior to landfall in Honduras. Mitch unloaded up to 50 inches (1250 mm) of rain and caused disastrous flooding that took the lives of more than 11,000 people in Central America.

2020 set the record for the most tropical storms to be named in one Atlantic hurricane season as Theta became the 29th tropical storm of the season earlier this week.

Related:

Eta’s second Florida landfall floods cities, traps dozens in cars and homes
First a direct hit from a Category 5 hurricane, then a global pandemic
So you want to be a storm chaser? Read this first

And the Caribbean threat wasn't the only feature keeping forecasters busy.

After striking Florida twice in less than a week, Eta moved out to sea on Thursday afternoon. Early Friday morning, Eta became a non-tropical low as it merged with a cold front over the western Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center issued its last advisory on the system.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Theta continued to swirl south of the Azores on Saturday. The storm may dip southeastward toward the Canary Islands before it takes a northeastward turn. It is likely to fluctuate in strength but with an overall weakening trend forecast early this week.

This image, taken on Thursday afternoon, Nov. 12, 2020, shows Tropical Storm Theta spinning over the eastern Atlantic. Portugal appears near the upper right and Africa appears on the far right. (CIRA at Colorado State/GOES-East)

Some of Theta‘s wind and rain could remain intact, eventually affecting part of western Europe later this month.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

President Trump visits flood-ravaged Kerrville as search continues

Jul. 12, 2025
Hurricane

Tropical trouble in the Atlantic may brew into next week

Jul. 13, 2025
Weather News

Flash flooding swamps Iowa Quad Cities as storms unleash damaging rain

Jul. 12, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Thunderstorms fuel increasing flash flooding threat in Texas

14 minutes ago

Weather News

Engine fuel supply cut just before Air India jet crash, report says

18 hours ago

Weather News

Texas Hill Country: Before, during and after the flood

19 hours ago

Weather News

Flash flooding swamps Iowa Quad Cities as storms unleash damaging rain

16 hours ago

Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

14 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

1 day ago

Weather News

Viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng celebrates her first birthday

1 day ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

1 day ago

Business

Samsung is looking into more AI devices potentially including earrings...

1 day ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

2 days ago

AccuWeather Hurricane Formation of Tropical Storm Iota adds to record 2020 storm tally
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...