Iota
2020 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonOverview
Hurricane Iota was a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane and the strongest storm of the 2020 season. Making landfall in Nicaragua just two weeks after Eta, Iota became the strongest Atlantic hurricane on record to form so late in the season. The combined impact of Eta and Iota was devastating for Central America.
🧭 What This Means For You
💨 How dangerous was this wind?
Winds 157+ mph (252+ km/h). Catastrophic damage. A high percentage of framed homes will be destroyed, with total roof failure and wall collapse.
Compare: a typical car crash at 70 mph feels violent — imagine 160 mph sustained winds.
💰 What was the human cost?
To put this in perspective: $1.4B could fund thousands of rebuilding projects, or cover years of flood insurance premiums for an entire coastal county.
84 people lost their lives — behind every number is a family, a home, and a community that had to rebuild.
✅ What you can do today
- Check your emergency kit — water, food, medicine, batteries
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations
- Sign up for free alerts so you are never caught off guard
Storm Path
Storm Track Data
| Time (UTC) | Latitude | Longitude | Wind (mph) | Pressure (mb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-11-13 06:00 UTC | 13°N | 68°W | 35 | 1004 |
| 2020-11-14 06:00 UTC | 13.5°N | 73°W | 55 | 995 |
| 2020-11-15 06:00 UTC | 14°N | 78°W | 85 | 980 |
| 2020-11-15 18:00 UTC | 14.5°N | 80.5°W | 130 | 948 |
| 2020-11-16 06:00 UTC | 14.5°N | 82.5°W | 160 | 917 |
| 2020-11-17 00:00 UTC | 14°N | 84.5°W | 100 | 960 |
| 2020-11-18 06:00 UTC | 15°N | 88°W | 30 | 990 |
Data Source
Track data from NOAA National Hurricane Center. Last updated: 2020-11-18.