TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)—Eta, the Atlantic’s 28th named storm this year, which formed in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday night, has strengthened into a major hurricane, the National Hurricane Center says.
The storm is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, flash flooding and landsides to parts of Central America on Monday.
At 4 p.m. ET Monday, Eta had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. It became the fifth major hurricane of the 2020 season.
The storm was moving west at 9 mph. It’s expected to continue to strengthen and make landfall in Nicaragua on Tuesday. It’s expected to weaken as it moves inland.
Much of Nicaragua and Honduras could get 15 to 25 inches of rain, with isolated instances of 35 inches. Nicaragua could also see dangerous storm surge, with water levels reaching 12 to 18 feet above normal levels within the hurricane warning area.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
- The coast of Nicaragua from the Honduras/Nicaragua border to Sandy Bay Sirpi
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- The northeastern coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca to the Honduras/Nicaragua border
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
- The northeastern coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca to the Honduras/Nicaragua border
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- The northern coast of Honduras from west of Punta Patuca westward to Punta Castilla
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