UPDATE 10 AM 11/18/20
Iota has dissipated over El Salvador. NHC has issued the last advisory for the storm.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 4 AM 11/18/20
Iota weakens to a Tropical Depression over El Salvador and is expected to dissipate as it moves west later on today.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph with higher gusts. Additional weakening is forecast, and Iota is expected to degenerate into a post-tropical remnant low pressure system later today. The estimated minimum central pressure based on nearby surface observations is 1007 mb.
FOX 4 MORNING METEOROLOGIST TRENT ARIC
UPDATE 10 PM 11/17/20
Iota is barely a tropical storm with winds down to 40 mph and is now over southern Honduras. The storm will dissipate as it moves into El Salvador on Wednesday.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 2PM 11/17/20
Iota weakens to a tropical storm as it moves farther inland across Nicaragua. Torrential rainfall and flooding will continue to be a threat into Wednesday.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 7 AM 11/17/20
Iota still a hurricane as it moves farther inland across northern Nicaragua today, and move across southern Honduras tonight and Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 85 mph with higher gusts. Additional rapid weakening is expected today into Wednesday, and Iota is forecast to dissipate over Central America by Wednesday night. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 965 mb.
FOX 4 MORNING METEOROLOGIST TRENT ARIC
UPDATE 4 AM 11/17/20
Iota is moving toward the west near 9 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue during the next day or so. On the forecast track, Iota will move farther inland across northern Nicaragua today, and move across southern Honduras tonight and Wednesday. Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts.
Iota is now a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional rapid weakening is expected today into Wednesday, and Iota is forecast to dissipate over Central America by Wednesday night. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles.
Puerto Cabezas airport in Nicaragua recently reported a sustained wind of 51 mph and a gust to 77 mph.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 950 mb.
FOX 4 MORNING METEOROLOGIST TRENT ARIC
UPDATE 1045 PM 11/16/20
Iota made landfall just before 11 PM Eastern 15 miles south of where Eta made landfall nearly 2 weeks ago. The storm had weakened to a Cat 4 with winds of 155 mph. The storm will continue weakening overnight, but devastating storm surge, winds and flooding can be expected.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 10 PM 11/16/20
Iota maintained Cat 5 strength for about 12 hours before weakening, likely due to an eyewall replacement cycle. The eye became ragged on satellite just before landfall, which likely saved Nicaragua from seeing Cat 5 strength winds. It won't matter though. Winds are still around 155 mph and a devastating storm surge and destructive winds are ongoing and will continue tonight. Torrential rainfall will lead to mudslides as rain totals exceed 30" in some areas. The storm will move inland overnight and rapidly weaken through the day Tuesday.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 10 AM 11/16/20
Iota is now a Category 5 hurricane with max winds of 160 mph. The storm will continue toward the Nicaraguan coast and landfall should occur by tonight as a Category 5. Keep in mind this area was devastated by Eta just two weeks ago. Mudslides, destructive winds and flash flooding will be likely, along with a significant storm surge to the right of the path.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 7 AM 11/16/20
Air Force Hurricane Hunters almost in the core of Hurricane Iota. The hurricane continues to strengthen and is now a strong Category 4 storm with winds of 155mph and gusts of 175mph.
Iota could be a catastrophic category 5 hurricane when it approaches Central America tonight, and rapid weakening is expected after landfall.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 925 mb.
FOX 4 MORNING METEOROLOGIST TRENT ARIC
UPDATE 4 AM 11/16/20
Iota has continued to strengthen into a dangerous category 4 hurricane and it is expected to bring potentially catastrophic winds, life threatening storm surge, and extreme rainfall impacts to Central America.
Data from the aircraft and NOAA satellites indicate that maximum sustained winds have increased to near 145 mph with higher gusts. Iota is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Additional rapid strengthening is expected during the next 12 to 18 hours, and Iota could possibly be a catastrophic category 5 hurricane when it approaches Central America tonight.
Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure based on reports from the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter is 933 mb.
FOX 4 MORNING METEOROLOGIST TRENT ARIC
UPDATE 10 PM 11/15/20
Hurricane Iota strengthened again over the past 3 hours and now has maximum sustained wind of 105 mph as it moves to the west at 10 mph. Central pressure lowered to 960 mb showing further signs of strengthening. A small eye has occasionally appeared as Iota has become fairly symmetric. Iota will continue to strengthen before making landfall Monday night in Nicaragua as a category 4 storm. Iota is expected to weaken over Central America and move into the Pacific as a remnant low. It will pose no threat to southwest Florida.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 7 PM 11/15/20
Hurricane Iota now has maximum sustained wind of 100 mph which classifies the storm as a category 2 hurricane. It is still moving west at 9 mph, but central pressure has lowered substantially over the past 3 hours to 964 mb. Iota will continue to be over warm water with an environment of low wind shear which will enable to storm to strengthen quite rapidly over the next 24 hours. Iota is expected to make landfall in Nicaragua late Monday night as a category 4 storm with wind speed of at least 140 mph. The next complete advisory will be issued at 10 pm.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 4 PM 11/15/20
Hurricane Iota continues to pack sustained wind of 90 mph as it moves toward the west at 9 mph. Not much has changed since the last advisory, but with low vertical wind shear and warm water, Iota will strengthen rapidly over the next 24 hours to a major hurricane. In fact, as Iota makes landfall in Nicaragua Monday, it could have wind as high as 140 mph which would make this a category 4 storm at landfall. Iota will move toward the Pacific and will pose no threat to southwest Florida.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 1 PM 11/15/20
Hurricane Iota has strengthened to a category 1 storm with maximum sustained wind of 90 mph as it moves west at 7 mph. Iota is moving over warm water with an atmosphere consisting of low wind shear which means it will strengthen quite rapidly Iota could become a category 4 major hurricane before making landfall in Nicaragua Monday.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 10 PM 11/14/20
Tropical Storm Iota has strengthened once again over the past few hours to just under hurricane strength with maximum sustained wind of 70 mph. Deep convection continues to increase near its center as it moves ever so slowly to the west at 4 mph. A ridge in the western Atlantic will steer Iota into Central America sometime Monday. With warm water temperatures and low wind shear, Iota is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane by the time it reaches Nicaragua. This, unlike Eta, will be no threat to southwest Florida.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 4 PM 11/14/20
Tropical storm Iota continues to strengthen as convection has increased around its center. Maximum sustained wind is now at 60 mph and Iota is expected to become a hurricane Sunday. Iota will continue to move over water with temperatures in the mid 80s with low wind shear which means it should strengthen rapidly much like Eta did. Iota will take a much similar track to Eta at least to start and is expected to make landfall in Nicaragua as a major hurricane. The big difference with Iota is it is expected to continue moving WSW and either dissipate over central America or move into the Pacific. Iota is not expected to move northward as Eta did so it will have no impact on SWFL.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 1 PM 11/14/20
Tropical storm Iota has strengthened a bit over the past few hours with a maximum sustained wind of 50 mph. Its currently moving slowly to the WSW at 5 mph. Wind shear is expected to decrease which will allow Iota to strengthen rapidly into a hurricane. Therefore hurricane watches have been issued yet again for the coasts of Nicaragua and Honduras. Iota is expected to be a major hurricane making it the second one this month to batter central America. This one however is not expected to re-emerge in the Caribbean. It should dissipate over central America or even move into the Pacific later next week.
FOX 4 METEOROLOGIST ERIC STONE
UPDATE 11/14/20 9 AM
Satellite imagery show Iota is a bit disorganized with maximum sustained winds near 35 knots. Over the next 72 hours, low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures in the Caribbean will be conducive for intensification. Iota is expected to strengthen and be a major hurricane when it approaches the coast of Central America. There is a risk of dangerous wind, storm surge, and rainfall impacts across portions of Nicaragua and Honduras beginning Monday. Hurricane Watches will likely be issued for a portion of this area later today. An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate Iota later today.
FOX 4 MORNING FORECASTER LAUREN PETRELLI
UPDATE 10 PM 11/13/20
Iota remains unchanged as far as intensity as of the 10 PM advisory. Movement is still toward the west and is forecast to become a Cat 3 before landfall by Tuesday. Nicaragua and Honduras are likely to see another 10-20" of rain on top of what they've already seen due to Eta last week.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 4 PM 11/13/20
TD 3`1 is now Tropical Storm Iota. The storm will strengthen this weekend as it heads west. It is forecast to become at least a Category 2 storm before impacting Honduras and Nicaragua early next week. Again, this storm will not be a threat to Florida or the rest of the U.S. Gulf Coast.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
FIRST UPDATE 11 AM 11/13/20
Tropical Depression #31 forms in the Caribbean. The storm is headed west and is expected to become a tropical storm, then hurricane this weekend. The next name on the list is Iota. The storm will impact the same areas that were hit by Eta last week as a Category 2 hurricane early next week. The current upper level steering pattern will keep the storm from heading north toward the U.S.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
