Hurricane Zeta – October 2020

Hurricane Zeta was the record-tying sixth hurricane to make landfall in the United States and the record fifth named storm to strike Louisiana in 2020. The twenty-seventh named storm and eleventh hurricane of the exceptionally active 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, Zeta formed from a broad area of low pressure that formed in the western Caribbean Sea on October 19. After battling wind shear, the quasi-stationary low organized into Tropical Depression Twenty-Eight on October 24. The system strengthened into Tropical Storm Zeta early on October 25 before becoming a hurricane the next day as it began to move northwestward. Hurricane Zeta made landfall in the Yucatán Peninsula late on October 26 and weakened while inland to a tropical storm, before moving off the northern coast of the peninsula on October 27. After weakening due to dry air, Zeta reorganized and became a hurricane again, and eventually a Category 2 hurricane, as it turned northeastward approaching the U.S. Gulf Coast on October 28. It continued to strengthen until it reached its peak intensity of 110 mph (175 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 970 mbar (28.64 inHg) as it made landfall in Cocodrie, Louisiana, that evening. Zeta gradually weakened as it accelerated northeastward, and became post-tropical on October 29, as it moved through central Virginia. After bringing accumulating snow to parts of New England, Zeta accelerated across the North Atlantic, re-intensifying into a hurricane-force extratropical cyclone as it impacted the United Kingdom on November 1.

Safety

We advise all who are in the path of this or any other storm to make preparations and seek shelter. During storms, property damage is expected. Do not approach downed electrical lines, broken glass, or exposes debris. Cleanup should be handled by professionals with proper equipment and training.