Hurricane Delta facts for kids
Hurricane Delta was an Atlantic tropical cyclone in October 2020. The hurricane struck the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. It later threatened east central Louisiana, western Mississippi, and Alabama and several coastal and low-lying areas were ordered to evacuate. Delta's winds peaked near 145 miles an hour.
The storm also threatened the western Caribbean islands, including the Cayman Islands, Cuba and Jamaica.
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches were put up for Mexico, the Cayman Islands and Cuba. It was the record-tying fourth named storm of 2020 to make landfall in Louisiana, as well as the record-breaking tenth named storm to strike the United States in that year.
In Mexico, trees and power lines were blown down, and roofs were ripped off homes and other buildings. Louisiana and Southeast Texas were hit by heavy rain, high winds, and storm surge, and 14 weak tornadoes were confirmed in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas. Total insured losses resulting from the storm amounted to $3.09 billion, with $2.9 billion in the US and US$186 million in Mexico.
Contents
Meteorological history
At 00:00 UTC on October 1, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) began to monitor a tropical wave moving into the Eastern Caribbean for potential development. It moved steadily westward at 15–20 miles per hour (24–32 km/h) and began to organize late on October 3.
Delta steadily became more organized on the morning of October 8. It regained Category 3 intensity at 21:00 UTC, before reaching its secondary peak intensity at 00:00 UTC on October 9.
Delta held that intensity for six hours as it turned north and moved into a hostile environment of cooler waters, drier air, and increasing wind shear. This caused Delta to begin a slow weakening trend. It was downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane at 18:00 UTC as it turned north-northeastward towards land. Delta then made landfall near Creole, Louisiana with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a pressure of 970 mb (28.64 inHg) at 23:00 UTC. After that, Delta began to weaken more rapidly, dropping to Category 1 status an hour after landfall at 00:00 UTC on October 10 and a tropical storm six hours later. It accelerated northeastward and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over Western Mississippi by 18:00 UTC. The system continued to weaken and its circulation broadened through the day on October 11, and by 00:00 on October 12, it opened into a trough of low pressure over the southeastern United States.
Aftermath
Mexico
In Cancun, within a week of Delta's passage, electrical and water services were restored throughout the area. The Convoy of Hope handed out relief supplies to families affected by the hurricane.
United States
Louisiana
In the immediate aftermath of Delta, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards stated that tens of thousands would need help recovering after the storm's destruction. He also surveyed damage in areas hard-hit by the hurricane.
Records and distinctions
Delta was the earliest 25th tropical or subtropical storm on record in an Atlantic hurricane season, surpassing the old mark of November 15, set by Tropical Storm Gamma in 2005. Delta rapidly intensified from a 35 mph (55 km/h) tropical depression to a 130 mph (215 km/h) Category 4 hurricane in twenty-four hours, the fastest such occurrence on record in the Atlantic Basin. Delta was the record-setting tenth named storm of the year to make landfall in the continental U.S., surpassing the previous record of nine set in 1916. Delta was also the record-tying fourth named storm to hit Louisiana in 2020, tying the record set in 2002; this record was surpassed by Hurricane Zeta later in the month.
Images for kids
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Delta at its initial peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on October 6.
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Tropical Storm Gamma (left) and Hurricane Delta (right) on October 5.
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Enhanced Infrared satellite image of Delta making landfall in Quintana Roo on October 7
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The wind swath of Hurricane Delta with hurricane-force winds in red and tropical-storm force winds in orange.
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Radar image of Delta making landfall in Louisiana on October 9.
See also
In Spanish: Huracán Delta para niños
