No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCosta RicaHurricane Iota expected to reach Category 4; authorities warn 'last day' to...

Hurricane Iota expected to reach Category 4; authorities warn ‘last day’ to prepare

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned Sunday is the “last guaranteed day” to prepare for Hurricane Iota, which is expected to make landfall Monday in Honduras or Nicaragua.

Iota is churning in the Caribbean Sea, where it “continues to rapidly strengthen,” according to the U.S.-based meteorological experts. If it indeed reaches maximum sustained winds of at least 130 mph, it will be the second Category 4 hurricane to impact Central America this month.

“Iota is located within an extremely conducive environment for strengthening,” the NHC said.

“As a result, continued rapid strengthening is expected during the next 24 to 36 hours, and Iota is forecast to become a potentially catastrophic category 4 hurricane before it reaches the coast of northeastern Nicaragua or eastern Honduras.”

Iota is forecast to weaken after making landfall as the storm encounters the mountainous terrain of Central America. Before that occurs, however, the system will cause “potentially catastrophic winds and a life-threatening storm surge” in Nicaragua and Honduras on Monday.

Iota’s indirect effects on Costa Rica

According to the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), Hurricane Iota will provoke changes to the intertropical convergence zone over Costa Rica.

Weather should remain stable through Sunday morning, the IMN forecasts. However, in the afternoon and evening, Costa Rica should expect heavy rainfall in the Central and South Pacific.

Sunday afternoon and evening, the Northern Zone, Central Valley and mountainous regions in the Caribbean will experience strong, but isolated, thunderstorms.

NHC projections indicate parts of Costa Rica have up to a 10% chance of experiencing tropical-storm-force winds over the coming days. (See this story’s header image.)

Heavy rainfall caused by Iota will continue through the first half of next week. Residents of the South Pacific should exercise caution, as ground conditions remain unstable after the impacts of Hurricane Eta.

Trending Now

Dominical to Quepos: The Costa Rican Road That Took 30 Years to Finish

The original Pan-American Highway heading south from San José once took a dramatic and daunting route. It passed through the old capital of Cartago...

El Salvador NGO Flees to Guatemala as Bukele Intensifies Crackdown on Critics

The prestigious NGO Cristosal, which investigates corruption cases and denounces human rights violations in El Salvador, announced Thursday that it has been forced into...

A Closer Look at the Elusive Purple Gallinule in Costa Rica

Quick! Think of a purple bird! It’s a little difficult, right? I searched my brain and came up with a purple martin. A small...

Rural Costa Rica Adopts Ecosystem-Based Approach to Climate Resilience

As climate change intensifies, rural communities across Costa Rica are taking concrete steps to reduce risks and adapt to increasing climate pressures. With support...

Canadian Tourism to Costa Rica Drops Amid Rising Crime Concerns

Canadian visits to Costa Rica have started to drop in 2025, with crime playing a big part in the shift. Data from the Costa...

Costa Rica Shines Once Again in This High-Quality Travel Video

A new 4K video now circulating online offers a fresh view of Costa Rica’s natural settings—one that captures our country's popular as well as...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica