Hurricane Zeta was a late-season

major hurricane Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

in 2020 that made landfall on the

Yucatán Peninsula The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...

and then in southeastern

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is bord ...

, the latest on record to do so at such strength in the United States. Zeta was the record-tying sixth hurricane of the year to make

landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...

in the United States. The twenty-seventh

named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...

, twelfth hurricane and fifth major hurricane of the extremely active

2020 Atlantic hurricane season The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season featured a total of 31 tropical or subtropical cyclones, making it the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. All but one cyclone became a named storm. Of the 30 named storms, 14 deve ...

, Zeta formed from a broad

area of low pressure In meteorology, a low-pressure area, low area or low is a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure areas are commonly associated with inclement weather (such as cloudy, windy, with possible ...

that formed in the western Caribbean Sea on October 19. After battling

wind shear Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizont ...

, the quasi-stationary low organized into ''Tropical Depression Twenty-Eight'' on October 24. The system strengthened into ''Tropical Storm Zeta'' early on October 25 before becoming a hurricane the next day as it began to move northwestward. Hurricane Zeta made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula late on October 26 and weakened while inland to a tropical storm, before moving off the northern coast of the peninsula on October 27. After weakening due to dry air entrainment, Zeta reorganized and became a hurricane again, and eventually a

Category 2 hurricane Category, plural categories, may refer to: Philosophy and general uses *Categorization, categories in cognitive science, information science and generally *Category of being * ''Categories'' (Aristotle) *Category (Kant) * Categories (Peirce) * ...

, as it turned northeastward approaching the

United States Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Missis ...

on October 28. It continued to strengthen until it reached its peak intensity as a major Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds and a minimum pressure of as it made landfall at Cocodrie, Louisiana, that evening. Zeta gradually weakened as it accelerated northeastward, and became post-tropical on October 29, as it moved through central

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

, dissipating shortly afterwards off the coast of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

. After bringing accumulating snow to parts of New England, the extratropical low-pressure system carrying Zeta's remnant energy impacted the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

on November 1 and 2. Numerous

tropical cyclone watches and warnings Tropical cyclone warnings and watches are alerts issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local popul ...

were issued in areas that had already dealt with other tropical cyclones throughout the season, including

Hurricane Delta Hurricane Delta 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. The twenty-sixth tropical cyclone, twenty-fifth nam ...

, which took a near-identical track three weeks prior. States of emergencies were issued in Louisiana,

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, and

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = " Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,7 ...

. Heavy rain in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispa ...

led to a landslide that killed a man and his daughter when it hit their family home on October 24. In Mexico, strong winds and

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

knocked down tree branches onto flooded streets in

Playa del Carmen Playa del Carmen, known colloquially as 'Playa', is a resort city located along the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. It is part of the municipality of Solidaridad. As of 2020, the city's population was just over 300,000 peopl ...

Quintana Roo Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...

, near where Zeta made landfall. Heavy rain, storm surge, and strong winds also impacted the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical List of regions in the United States, region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the south ...

and at least six fatalities were confirmed in the region. Downed power lines and numerous crashes were a result in New England after the remnants of the system brought heavy accumulating snow to parts of the region. Overall, Zeta caused at least $4.4 billion in damage throughout its path: $3.9 billion in the United States and $50 million in the Caribbean.

Meteorological history

At 00:00 UTC on October 15, the

National Hurricane Center The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is the division of the United States' NOAA/National Weather Service responsible for tracking and predicting tropical weather systems between the Prime Meridian and the 140th meridian west poleward to the 3 ...

(NHC) began to monitor the southern

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexic ...

for the possible development of a broad area of low pressure over the region. A large area of unsettled weather developed over the southwestern Caribbean by October 19 due to the combination of a

tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...

and a trough of low pressure. Although unfavorable upper-level winds prevented further development of the tropical wave, southerly

flow Flow may refer to: Science and technology * Fluid flow, the motion of a gas or liquid * Flow (geomorphology), a type of mass wasting or slope movement in geomorphology * Flow (mathematics), a group action of the real numbers on a set * Flow (psyc ...

from that system caused Zeta's precursor trough to drift northward. Three days later, satellite images and radar data showed that the system, located near

Grand Cayman Island Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the territory's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles (121 km) southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles (1 ...

at the time, was gradually becoming better organized. Following an increase of deep convection overnight into the morning of October 24, satellite data indicated that a well-defined low formed by 12:00 UTC October 24, marking the formation of ''Tropical Depression Twenty-Eight''. Then, 12 hours later, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Zeta, while located about 270 mi (435 km) east-southeast of

Cozumel Cozumel (; yua, Kùutsmil) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucat� ...

. Upon formation, it became the earliest 27th Atlantic tropical or subtropical storm on record, surpassing the old mark of November 29, set by Hurricane Epsilon in

2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...

. After remaining nearly stationary for over a day, the storm began to move northwestward, and, despite experiencing some north-northwestwardly wind shear, Zeta steadily intensified, reaching hurricane strength by 06:00 UTC on October 26, while located about 230 mi (370 km) southeast of Cozumel. At 03:55 UTC the next day, the hurricane made its first landfall near Ciudad Chemuyil, Quintana Roo with sustained winds of . It weakened to a tropical storm over the Yucatán Peninsula, and moved offshore of the northern coast of the peninsula by 15:00 UTC, about 25 mi (40 km) north-northeast of

Progreso, Yucatán Progreso () is a port city in the Mexican state of Yucatán, located on the Gulf of Mexico in the north-west of the state some 30 minutes north of state capital Mérida (the biggest city on the Yucatán Peninsula) by highway. As of the Mexican ...

Dry air wrapped around the northern half of Zeta's circulation as it moved off shore over the southern Gulf of Mexico, leaving its center partially exposed, though it began to re-intensify on October 28, in a conducive environment of low shear and warm Sea surface temperatures. At 06:00 UTC on October 28, while located about 410 mi (660 km) south of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, Louisiana, Zeta became a hurricane again. It then began to accelerate, turning towards the northeast because of an approaching upper-level low and associated cold front moving across the Southern Plains while ridging was located off the Southeast Atlantic U.S. Coast. While within the swift flow between these systems, Zeta rapidly intensified as it moved quickly (with a forward speed of (25–30 mph (35–45 km/h) toward the Louisiana coast. Despite marginal sea-surface temperatures and increasing wind shear, the storm's velocity kept it from weakening. It continued to strengthen until it reached its peak intensity, as a category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 970 mbar (28.65 inHg), as it made landfall near Cocodrie, Louisiana, at 21:00 UTC. This made Zeta the latest major hurricane to strike the continental United States in the calendar year on record, surpassing the

1921 Tampa Bay hurricane The Tampa Bay hurricane of 1921 (also known as the 1921 Tarpon Springs hurricane) was the most recent hurricane to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area and held the record as the major storm that stuck the continental United States latest in the c ...

. The storm began to gradually weaken as it moved directly over

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

and then into southern

. Its maximum sustained winds decreased to tropical storm strength early on October 29, about 25 mi (40 km) south-southeast of

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population o ...

. It then accelerated northeastward across northern

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

and the southern

Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. The ...

, before transitioning into a post-tropical cyclone about 25 mi (45 km) south-southeast of

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen C ...

. The system continued moving rapidly northeastward overnight on , becoming entwined with a frontal zone and bringing accumulating snow to parts of New England, before dissipating east of the mid-Atlantic U.S. coast on October 30. Several days later, the low-pressure system carrying Zeta's remnant energy brought heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the

Preparations

Cayman Islands and Jamaica

Flash flood warnings were issued in parts of Jamaica and the

Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...

, where a small craft warning was also issued in the latter.

Cuba

Upon formation, a

Tropical Storm Watch Tropical cyclone warnings and watches are alerts issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local popul ...

was issued for the province of Pinar del Río. This was upgraded to a warning soon after. However, the storm went a bit further south than expected, and no significant impacts were felt there.

Mexico

In Quintana Roo, people were still recovering from

, which hit the region about three weeks prior. The state government set up several shelters for residents and tourists, while transport was suspended. Some boats that usually carry tourists anchored among mangroves to avoid the waves and winds of Hurricane Zeta.

United States

Hurricane watches were issued for eastern and central coastal

and coastal

. A tropical storm watch was also issued for areas east of Intracoastal City to

Morgan City, Louisiana Morgan City is a small Citibank, city in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, St. Mary and lower St. Martin parishes in the U.S. state, U.S. State of Louisiana. The population was 12,404 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Known for being “rig ...

, as well as coastal

. Storm surge watches were issued for the entire area as well. The western part of watches and warnings were trimmed as the storm approached and the forecast track became better established. Inland tropical storm warnings were issued as far north as southern

. Two

tornado watch A tornado watch ( SAME code: TOA) is a severe weather watch product issued by national weather forecasting agencies when meteorological conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes. In addit ...

es were ultimately issued for this storm; they stretched from southeast Louisiana into southwestern

. As the storm began to merge with a

cold front A cold front is the leading edge of a cooler mass of air at ground level that replaces a warmer mass of air and lies within a pronounced surface trough of low pressure. It often forms behind an extratropical cyclone (to the west in the Northern ...

, winter weather advisories were issued for inland

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

with the threat of accumulating snow causing problems on roads.

Louisiana

On October 26, Louisiana Governor

John Bel Edwards John Bel Edwards (born September 16, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 56th governor of Louisiana since 2016. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as the Democratic leader of the Louisiana House of ...

issued a

state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to be able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state du ...

for the entire state. The town of Grand Isle issued a mandatory evacuation on October 27 as a voluntary evacuation was ordered for

Jean Lafitte Jean Lafitte ( – ) was a French pirate and privateer who operated in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his older brother Pierre spelled their last name Laffite, but English language documents of the time used "Lafitte". Th ...

that same day.

Tulane University Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into a comprehensive pub ...

moved classes to virtual learning on October 28, while also closing health centers on campus. Cleco employed more than 200 new workers to help restore power in the aftermath of Zeta. Several national park units were shut down to weather the storm.

Mississippi

Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency ahead of Zeta on October 28. This was preceded by Hattiesburg and

Forrest County Forrest County is located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 74,934. Its county seat and largest city is Hattiesburg. The county was created from Perry County in 1908 and named in honor of Nathan Bedfor ...

's emergency declarations which were issued on October 27. Schools in

Pascagoula The Pascagoula (also Pascoboula, Pacha-Ogoula, Pascagola, Pascaboula, Paskaguna) were an indigenous group living in coastal Mississippi on the Pascagoula River. The name ''Pascagoula'' is a Mobilian Jargon term meaning "bread people". Choctaw ...

, Gautier, Biloxi, and

Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporat ...

were closed on October 28 and 29 although schools in Pascagoula and Gautier only had early releases on October 28.

Alabama

On October 27, Alabama Governor

Kay Ivey Kay Ellen Ivey (born October 15, 1944) is an American politician serving as the 54th and incumbent governor of Alabama since 2017. Originally a conservative Southern Democrat, Ivey became a member of the Republican Party in 2002. She was the 38th ...

issued a state of emergency. Baldwin EMC stocked on supplies and put extra crews on standby ahead of Zeta to help restore power in parts of the state.

Elsewhere

Tropical Storm Warnings were issued as far inland as the Carolinas and Virginia on October 28, with the likelihood of tropical-storm-force sustained winds and gusts likely in the areas. After the storm moved offshore, the threat of blowing snow and other wintry weather in New England prompted Winter Weather Advisories for much of inland New England on October 29 and 30. The residents of the area were warned of slick roads and unsuitable driving conditions with the wintry weather.

Impact

Cayman Islands and Jamaica

A man and his daughter were killed in

after a landslide hit the family's home on October 24. The landslide was due to heavy rain likely from the precursor to Zeta. The precursor of Zeta caused J$2 billion (US$13.7 million) in infrastructural damage. Later, Zeta also caused US$18 million to roads and US$13 million in agricultural losses.

Mexico

Tree branches were littered across flooded streets in

, near where Zeta made landfall. However, Quintana Roo Governor Carlos Joaquin stated on

Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...

that no major damage or casualties had been reported in the state. He also allowed airports and business to re-open just hours after landfall, but forced beaches to remain closed until surf calmed. Damage in Quintana Roo was relatively minor, and only reached MX$4.1 million (US$195,000).

United States

A number of

tornado warning A tornado warning ( SAME code: TOR) is a severe weather warning product issued by regional offices of weather forecasting agencies throughout the world to alert the public when a tornado has been reported or indicated by weather radar within the ...

s were issued in Louisiana,

, and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and ...

. Over 2 million customers in the United States lost power.

Louisiana

Sustained tropical storm force winds began spreading onshore in southeastern coast of Louisiana around 18:00 UTC on October 28. A sustained wind of 45 mph (72 km/h) was reported at Caillou Bay. Just after a landfall, a personal weather station at Golden Meadow reported winds of 83 mph with a gust to 105 mph while another unofficial weather station nearby reported sustained winds of 94 mph (151 km/h) and a gust to 110 mph (177 km/h). Additionally, a wind gust to 52 mph (84 km/h) was reported at Houma and a wind gust to 53 mph (85 km/h) was reported at

New Orleans Lakefront Airport Lakefront Airport is a public airport five miles northeast of downtown New Orleans, in Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a general aviation ''reliever ...

. A WeatherFlow station in Harahan reported sustained winds of 56 mph (90 km/h) and a gust to 75 mph (120 km/h) while an elevated station at Bayou Bienvenue south-southeast of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

reported sustained winds of 88 mph (142 km/h) and a gust to 112 mph (180 km/h). Shell Beach reported sustained winds of 81 mph (130 km/h) with a gust to 101 mph (163 km/h). A gas station was damaged in Grand Isle and a tree fell on a home in Chauvin. Numerous utility lines were downed in Houma and storm surge flooded LA 1 in Golden Meadow while also depositing a boat on it. The eye of Zeta moved directly over

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

, where winds gusted to 94 mph, a large tree was snapped in

Bayou St. John Bayou St. John () is a bayou within the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Bayou as a natural feature drained the swampy land of a good portion of what was to become New Orleans, into Lake Pontchartrain. In its natural state, it extended much ...

, and a tree was blown down onto a car in the Garden District. The airport reported a pressure of 973 mb as the eye moved overhead. One person was hospitalized after a roof collapsed on a building in the city, and another person was also killed due to electrocution from downed power lines. Overall, Zeta caused $1.25 billion damage in Louisiana.

Mississippi

Bay St. Louis experienced maximum sustained winds of 80 mph with gusts to 103 mph at approximately 7:00 PM local time. This was followed shortly after by peak storm surge recorded at 9.99 ft. The only

tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, alt ...

reported while Zeta was a tropical cyclone occurred in

Noxubee County Noxubee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, its population was 11,545. Its county seat is Macon. The name is derived from the Choctaw word ''nakshobi'' meaning "to stink". Geography According to ...

on October 28. It was rated EF1 (on the

Enhanced Fujita Scale The Enhanced Fujita scale (abbreviated as EF-Scale) rates tornado intensity based on the severity of the damage they cause. It is used in some countries, including the United States, Canada, China, and Mongolia. The Enhanced Fujita scale repl ...

) and caused about $30,000 in damage. The storm surge flooded the parking garage at the Golden Nugget Casino in Biloxi, leaving several cars partially submerged. Wind gusts of near were reported in

. Trees were blown down in eastern Marion County and in Lamar County south of U.S. 98. Additionally, there were sporadic reports of home damage in the region. One death was recorded in Biloxi when a person was found dead on the Broadwater Marina, having drowned after being surrounded by storm surge. Overall, Zeta caused $650 million damage in Mississippi.

Alabama

Strong winds impacted Mobile, which was still recovering from Hurricane Sally from the month prior. The weather service at Mobile Regional Airport reported sustained winds of 48 mph (78 km/h) and a wind gust of 91 mph (146 km/h). An observation at the museum ship USS ''Alabama'' reported sustained winds of 64 mph (103 km/h) while an observation at the Buccaneer Yacht Club reported a wind gust of 60 mph (97 km/h). An observation in

Evergreen In botany, an evergreen is a plant which has foliage that remains green and functional through more than one growing season. This also pertains to plants that retain their foliage only in warm climates, and contrasts with deciduous plants, whic ...

reported sustained winds of 41 mph (66 km/h) with a wind gust of 68 mph (109 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 988 mb was reported at the

Demopolis Municipal Airport Demopolis Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located six nautical miles (7 mi, 11 km) southwest of the central business district of Demopolis, a city in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. It is also known as Demopolis M ...

as Zeta passed nearby. A National Ocean Service station at the

Bayou La Batre Bayou La Batre ( or ) is a city in Mobile County, Alabama, United States. It is part of the Mobile metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,204, down from 2,558 at the 2010 census. Bayou La Batre is a fishing village wi ...

Bridge reported of storm surge as well. An observation in

Wetumpka Wetumpka () is a city in and the county seat of Elmore County, Alabama, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,220. In the early 21st century Elmore County became one of the fastest-growing counties in the state. The city is ...

reported sustained winds of 44 mph (71 km/h). One person died when a tree fell on a mobile home in rural Clarke County. Overall, Zeta caused $825 million damage in Alabama.

East Coast of the United States

Snow blanketing eastern Massachusetts after Zeta

After interacting and merging with the winter storm located over the Southern Plains, Zeta caused widespread wind damage throughout the rest of the

. A wind gust of 52 mph (84 km/h) was observed in

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal c ...

. Zeta crossed over Northern Georgia beginning at 05:00 UTC on October 29, causing major impacts, especially in

Metro Atlanta Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Alpharetta, GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and th ...

. Wind gust was recorded to be up to on the

border, near

Piedmont, Alabama Piedmont is a city in Calhoun and Cherokee counties in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population was 4,400 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Anniston-Oxford, Alabama Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is approximately one and a h ...

. In

Acworth, Georgia Acworth is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The 2019 estimate for Acworth's population is 22,818. As of the 2010 census, this city had a population of 20,425, up from 13,422 in 2000. Acwor ...

, a large oak tree was uprooted and fell on a mobile home, killing a man. Two other adults and a child were in the home at the time of the incident but were not injured. Two other people in

Buford, Georgia Buford is a city in Gwinnett and Hall counties in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 17,144. Most of the city is in Gwinnett County, which is part of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta Metropolitan ...

, also died from a tree falling onto their house. Nearly a million people in Metro Atlanta were without power the morning after the storm. Thousands of people in Metro Atlanta were still without power four days after the storm, in addition to at least one polling location which was to be used for the 2020 elections, resulting in an emergency change in such locations. Overall, Zeta caused $1.1 billion damage in Georgia. In

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

, sustained tropical-storm force winds moved over the entire state. A sustained wind of 41 mph (67 km/h) and a gust to 82 mph (131 km/h) was reported at Cashiers while a sustained wind of 38 mph (61 km/h) and a gust to 51 mph (82 km/h) were reported at the Greensboro Piedmont Triad International Airport. A sustained wind of 51 mph (82 km/h) and a gust to 72 mph (116 km/h) was also reported at a station in Conway, to the east of

Roanoke Rapids Roanoke Rapids () is a city in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 15,754 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Roanoke Rapids Micropolitan Statistical Area, and is also an anchor city of the Rocky Mou ...

. As the storm raced offshore, a sustained wind of 39 mph (63 km/h) and a gust to 46 mph (74 km/h) was reported at

Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an Atlantic resort town in Worcester County, Maryland along the East Coast of the United States. The population was 6,844 at the 2020 U.S. census, although during summer weekends the city hosts b ...

. Overall, Zeta caused $550 million damage in the Carolinas and $25 million in

. In parts of southern

and upstate

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, the remnants of post-tropical cyclone Zeta brought accumulating snow to the region, after interacting with a cold front also moving through. The highest amount of accumulation was 6.5 inches (16.51 cm) of snow recorded in

Grafton, Massachusetts Grafton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,664 at the 2020 census. The town consists of the North Grafton, Grafton, and South Grafton geographic areas, each with a separate ZIP Code. Incorporated in ...

. This early-season snowstorm resulted in some downed tree branches in the region. The snowstorm also caused slippery road surfaces, leading to numerous crashes, some serious, in the state of Massachusetts. The cold front associated with Zeta dropped temperatures on the morning of October 31 to in

Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Cit ...

, just one degree shy of the record. This is well below the typical low temperature of . Highs that day struggled to get into the 40s. Parts of

saw temperatures get as low as after Zeta dropped snow in the northern portion of the state, acculumating to in High Point State Park.

United Kingdom

The remnant energy of Zeta crossed the

on November 1–2, less than a day after Storm Aiden had impacted the country. Due to the risk of further heavy rainfall across areas previously impacted by Aiden, the

Environment Agency The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities relating to the protection and en ...

issued more than 40 flood alerts ahead of the arrival of Zeta's remnants. The system re-intensified into a hurricane-force

extratropical cyclone Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable ...

while centered off the western coast of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

on 1 November. Heavy rainfall resulted in the

River Wharfe The River Wharfe ( ) is a river in Yorkshire, England originating within the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For much of its middle course it is the county boundary between West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire. Its valley is known as Wharfedale ...

bursting its banks in

West Yorkshire West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...

, flooding properties in the town of

Otley Otley is a market town and civil parish at a bridging point on the River Wharfe, in the City of Leeds metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the population was 13,668 at the 20 ...

. It was responsible for flooding in

North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a regions of Wales, region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, ...

after bringing prolonged heavy rainfall to the region. The village of

Dolgarrog Dolgarrog is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, in Wales, situated between Llanrwst and Conwy, very close to the Conwy River. The village is well known for its industrial history since the 18th century and the Eigiau ...

suffered extensive damage after flash flooding inundated the entire village, including Dolgarrog railway station, causing the suspension of services along the Conwy Valley line. In

Betws-y-Coed Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...

, the

A5 road A5 Road may refer to: ;Africa * A5 highway (Nigeria), a road connecting Lagos and Ibadan * A5 road (Zimbabwe), a road connecting Harare and Francistown ;Americas * Quebec Autoroute 5, a road in Quebec, Canada * County Route A5 (California) or B ...

was closed; the nearby Dolgellau Bypass was also closed due to flooding. Several rivers burst their banks, including the River Dee, causing damage in

Bangor-on-Dee Bangor-on-Dee ( cy, Bangor-is-y-coed or Bangor Is-coed) is a village and Community (Wales), community in Wrexham County Borough, Wales, on the banks of the River Dee, Wales, River Dee. Until 1974 it was in the exclave of Flintshire (historic), F ...

Corwen Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales. Historically, Corwen is part of the county of Merionethshire. Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llango ...

Llangollen Llangollen () is a town and community, situated on the River Dee, in Denbighshire, Wales. Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range, and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Bea ...

and

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...

. In

Trefriw Trefriw () is a village and community (Wales), community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Crafnant in North Wales, a few miles south of the site of the Roman Britain, Roman castra, fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. At the l ...

, officers from

North Wales Police North Wales Police ( cy, Heddlu Gogledd Cymru) is the territorial police force responsible for policing North Wales. Its headquarters are in Colwyn Bay. , the force has 1,510 police officers, 170 special constables, 182 police community suppor ...

rescued several residents from flooded homes overnight. High winds also caused disruption to transport. Along the

A55 road The A55, also known as the North Wales Expressway ( cy, Gwibffordd Gogledd Cymru) is a major road in Wales and England, connecting Cheshire and north Wales. The vast majority of its length from Chester to Holyhead is a dual carriageway primary ...

in north Wales, speed restrictions were in place on the

Britannia Bridge Britannia Bridge ( cy, Pont Britannia) is a bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It was originally designed and built by the noted railway engineer Robert Stephenson as a tubular bridge of w ...

and around Conwy Tunnel, while Dyfi Bridge on the A487 was closed. The

A525 A5 and variants may refer to: Science and mathematics * A5 regulatory sequence in biochemistry * A5, the abbreviation for the androgen Androstenediol * Annexin A5, a human cellular protein * ATC code A05 ''Bile and liver therapy'', a subgroup of ...

was blocked by fallen trees. The

M62 motorway The M62 is a west–east trans-Pennine motorway in Northern England, connecting Liverpool and Hull via Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Wakefield; of the route is shared with the M60 orbital motorway around Manchester. The road is part of th ...

was closed between

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popul ...

and

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

after high winds caused a lorry to overturn, landing on top of a van in the next lane. At

Birmingham Airport Birmingham Airport , formerly ''Birmingham International Airport'', is an international airport located east-southeast of Birmingham city centre, west-northwest of Coventry slightly north of Bickenhill village, in the Metropolitan Borou ...

, high winds caused difficulty for arriving aircraft.

Notes

References

External links

* The National Hurricane Center'
Advisory Archive on Hurricane Zeta
{{DEFAULTSORT:ζ Tropical cyclones in 2020 Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes 2020–21 North American winter 2020 Atlantic hurricane season 2020 in Mexico 2020 in Louisiana 2020 in Mississippi 2020 in Alabama 2020 in Georgia (U.S. state) 2020 in Florida 2020 in South Carolina 2020 in North Carolina 2020 in Virginia 2020 in Maryland 2020 in Delaware Atlantic hurricanes in Mexico Hurricanes in Louisiana Hurricanes in Mississippi Hurricanes in Alabama Hurricanes in Georgia (U.S. state) Hurricanes in Florida Hurricanes in South Carolina Hurricanes in North Carolina Hurricanes in Virginia Hurricanes in Maryland Hurricanes in Delaware Hurricanes in New England October 2020 events in the United States

Meteorological history

Preparations

Cayman Islands and Jamaica

Cuba

Mexico

United States

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

Elsewhere

Impact

Cayman Islands and Jamaica

Mexico

United States

Louisiana

Mississippi

Alabama

East Coast of the United States

United Kingdom

See also

Notes

References

External links