Marine Tropical Storm — E Cp Sable To Chokoloskee Fl Out 20nm, Gulf of Mexico

2020-11-09 to 2020-11-11 · E Cp Sable To Chokoloskee Fl Out 20nm, Gulf of Mexico

Event narrative

Sustained tropical storm force winds over the offshore waters were probably in the 40 to 60 mph/35 to 50 knot range based on data from hurricane hunter aircraft, with gusts possibly as high as 70 mph/60 knots.

Wider weather episode

A tropical wave, turned tropical depression, moving westward across the western Caribbean Sea abruptly formed into an intense Category 4 hurricane before making landfall over western Nicaragua on November 3rd, with a minimum central pressure of 923 mb just before landfall, and a minimum central pressure of 940 mb at landfall. Eta then weakened into a Tropical Depression as it moved across Central America and before it re-entered the western Caribbean Sea. Eta maintained Tropical Depression status for a few days before restrengthening into a Tropical Storm on November 7th, just west of the Cayman Islands. Tropical Storm Eta continued moving northward while intensifying into a strong Tropical Storm just before making landfall over Cuba early morning on November 8th. Tropical Storm Eta then began to move northwestward and towards FL on November 8th, with the center passing about 70 to 80 miles southwest of Miami, Florida and about 100 to 110 miles southeast of Naples, Florida. Strong Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys with maximum winds estimated to be near 65 mph and a minimum central pressure of 991 mb.

As Tropical Storm Eta moved westward towards the Gulf of Mexico, it maintained Tropical Storm intensity. Lowest surface pressure recorded over the South Florida Gulf Coast was 1001.6 mb at Naples Municipal Airport and 1002.4 mb at Naples Pier, with maximum sustained winds of 32 knots/37 mph at Naples Municipal Airport during the morning hours on November 9th. Estimated Tropical Storm force sustained winds were measured across the Gulf waters ranging from 50 to 65 mph, with higher gusts. Tropical Storm Eta then meandered offshore southwest Florida the next couple of days before making landfall yet again near Cedar Key, Florida on November 12th.

Although the effects from Tropical Storm Eta were generally minor for wind, there were sustained Tropical Storm force winds over the Gulf waters, which created hazardous marine conditions.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 924961. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.