Tracking the Tropics: Eta closing in on Nicaragua as Category 4 hurricane

Category 4 Hurricane Eta is churning off the coast of Nicaragua Tuesday morning and is expected to hit the area with life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides in the coming hours, the National Hurricane Center said.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)—Category 4 Hurricane Eta was moving onshore in Nicaragua Tuesday afternoon and was expected to bring life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds, flash flooding and landslides to the area, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Eta, the 28th named storm this year, formed in the Caribbean Sea on Saturday night, and became the fifth major hurricane of the 2020 season.

At 1 p.m. ET Tuesday, Eta had maximum sustained winds of 140 miles per hour with hurricane-force winds extending outward up to 25 miles from the storm's center. It was about 20 miles southeast of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua, moving west-southwest at 3 mph.

Eta is forecast to make landfall in Nicaragua Tuesday and weaken as it moves inland over Nicaragua to Honduras.

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
• The coast of Nicaragua from south of Sandy Bay Sirpi to Laguna
  de Perlas.

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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