What the record says
Iota was a hurricane in the North Atlantic basin that lasted about 6 days, from 12 November 2020 to 18 November 2020. Its peak was Category 4 (135 kt) on 16 November 2020, with a 1-minute sustained wind of 135 kt (155 mph, 250 km/h). Its lowest recorded pressure was 917 hPa.
- Category 4peak intensity
- 135 ktpeak wind (155 mph)
- 917 hPalowest pressure
- 6 dayslifetime
Source of the peak wind: NOAA National Hurricane Center (HURDAT2, Atlantic).
It has its own page because it reached category 4 or stronger.
This page gives the official record's figures. It does not describe the human cost of the storm, which is far larger than any wind speed or pressure here.
Where it came ashore
- 17 November 2020: Nicaragua (110 kt)
A landfall here is the first tropical position over land after time at sea, so it is within about six hours of the real event. The record shows up to 8.
Countries it came within 50 km of
Strongest effect first.
How to read this track
The line joins the storm's six-hourly positions with straight lines, coloured by its intensity at each point, so it shows how the storm strengthened and weakened. The real path curved between the positions. A dashed grey stretch means the storm had become post-tropical. Records before the satellite era (about the 1960s) are estimates.
Source: NOAA NCEI IBTrACS, public domain. See data sources and caveats.
Other notable storms of the 2020 North Atlantic season
- Laura (2020)Category 4
- Teddy (2020)Category 4
- Delta (2020)Category 4
- Eta (2020)Category 4
- Epsilon (2020)Category 3