Hurricane Zeta facts for kids

Hurricane Zeta was a strong Atlantic hurricane that happened in October 2020. It made history as the fifth named storm to hit the Gulf States in one year, which was a new record! Zeta first hit the Mexican Yucatán Peninsula and then moved on to strike Louisiana and Mississippi in the United States.

When Hurricane Zeta reached the Gulf States, its winds were blowing at 110 miles per hour. After moving inland, the storm's leftover energy even brought snow to the New England area. More than 2.1 million homes and businesses lost electricity because of the storm.

What is a Hurricane?

A hurricane is a huge, powerful storm that forms over warm ocean waters. It has strong winds that spin around a calm center called the "eye." Hurricanes are given names to help people keep track of them. They are measured on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, which goes from Category 1 to Category 5. A Category 3 hurricane, like Zeta was when it hit the Gulf Coast, has very strong winds that can cause a lot of damage.

Zeta's Path and Strength

Hurricane Zeta started as a tropical depression in the Caribbean Sea. It quickly grew stronger, becoming a tropical storm and then a hurricane.

Hitting the Yucatán Peninsula

Zeta first made landfall, meaning it hit land, on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. At that time, it was a strong tropical storm. It brought heavy rain and strong winds to the area.

Impact on the Gulf Coast

After crossing the Yucatán, Zeta moved into the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This helped it get even stronger very quickly. By the time it reached the U.S. Gulf Coast, it had become a Category 3 hurricane. It hit southeastern Louisiana with winds of 110 miles per hour. This made it the strongest hurricane to hit Louisiana so late in the hurricane season in over 100 years.

The storm then moved across Mississippi. Its strong winds and heavy rains caused widespread damage. It was the fifth named storm to hit the Gulf Coast in 2020, which was a record-breaking year for hurricanes.

Moving Inland and Bringing Snow

Even after hitting the coast, Zeta continued to cause problems as it moved inland. It weakened into a tropical storm and then a post-tropical cyclone, but it still brought strong winds and rain to states like Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas.

Surprisingly, the leftover moisture and cold air from Zeta combined to bring snow to parts of the New England region, including Massachusetts. This was a very unusual event for late October.

Aftermath and Power Outages

Hurricane Zeta left a lot of damage in its path. One of the biggest problems was the massive power outages. Over 2.1 million homes and businesses lost electricity across several states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Many people had to wait days for their power to be restored. The storm also caused damage to buildings, trees, and infrastructure.

Images for kids

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  Track of Zeta, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale

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  Tropical Storm Zeta approaching the Yucatán Peninsula on October 26

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  Goes-16 imagery of Hurricane Zeta and the Southern Plains winter storm interacting on October 28

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  Snow blanketing Lexington, MA after post-tropical cyclone Zeta came through the area

See also

In Spanish: Huracán Zeta para niños