Introduction
Mitch formed as just another tropical storm south of Jamica
on October 22, 1998. By October 26 it had exploded into a
category 5
hurricane with sustained winds reaching 180mph and powerful
gusts blasting the earth at over 200mph. Only 3 other
hurricanes had reached this magnitude in over a
century. While ranked fourth in raw power, the death and
destruction caused by Mitch was massive and will never be
fully known. While not at it's peak fury, Mitch pounded into
Honduras and Nicaragua with torrents of rain and
waves. Unable to endure the beating, mountains crumbled
causing mud slides that buried entire towns killing over
11,000 people and devastating over 80% of agricultural land
and transportation systems. It has been estimated that more
than 8,000 people are still missing from this one event in
Honduras alone. With over 11,000 confirmed dead and thousands
missing, hurricane Mitch will be remembered as
the deadliest storm of it's century
and the century before. In fact it will be remembered as the
second deadliest storm ever recorded, leaving only the
"Great Hurricane" of 1780, which killed over 20,000
people on Martinique, as a more deadly peer. Mitch was a
category 5 storm for over 33 contiguous hours - longer than any other recorded Atlantic hurricane.
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Mitch In Pictures
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| 1998-10-22 |
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1998-10-25 |
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| 1998-10-26 |
1998-10-26 |
1998-10-26 |
1998-10-26 |
1998-10-26 |
1998-10-26 |
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| 1998-10-27 |
1998-10-28 |
1998-10-29 |
1998-10-30 |
1998-11-03 |
1998-11-04 |
Mitch's Track
The following is the track information for Mitch given by the National Hurricane Center.
ADV DATE/TIME LAT LON WIND PRES STATUS
___ _________ ___ ___ ____ ____ ______
1 10/22/03Z 12.8N 77.9W 35MPH 1001 T.D. 13
2 10/22/09Z 12.7N 78.5W 35MPH 1001 Tropical depression
3 10/22/15Z 12.0N 78.0W 35MPH 1001 Tropical depression
4 10/22/21Z 11.5N 77.6W 45MPH 1000 Tropical Storm-Mitch
5 10/23/03Z 12.3N 77.6W 50MPH 999 Tropical storm
6 10/23/09Z 13.0N 77.5W 60MPH 997 Tropical storm
7 10/23/15Z 12.7N 77.9W 60MPH 999 Tropical storm
8 10/23/21Z 13.0N 78.1W 60MPH 997 Tropical storm
9 10/24/03Z 13.5N 78.2W 60MPH 997 Tropical storm
10 10/24/09Z 14.3N 77.7W 90MPH 988 Hurricane - Cat. 1
11 10/24/15Z 14.9N 77.9W 100MPH 987 Hurricane - Cat. 2
11A 10/24/18Z 15.1N 78.0W 100MPH 979 Hurricane
12 10/24/21Z 15.3N 78.2W 105MPH 976 Hurricane
12A 10/25/00Z 15.4N 78.3W 110MPH 973 Hurricane
13 10/25/03Z 15.7N 78.4W 120MPH 965 Hurricane - Cat. 3
13A 10/25/06Z 15.9N 78.9W 125MPH 953 Hurricane
14 10/25/09Z 16.0N 79.2W 125MPH 949 Hurricane
15S 10/25/12Z 16.2N 79.5W 125MPH 945 Hurricane
16 10/25/15Z 16.3N 79.8W 130MPH 942 Hurricane
16A 10/25/18Z 16.4N 80.3W 145MPH 929 Hurricane
17 10/25/21Z 16.6N 80.7W 150MPH 924 Hurricane
17A 10/26/00Z 15.5N 81.4W 150MPH 924 Hurricane
18 10/26/03Z 16.4N 81.7W 150MPH 924 Hurricane
18A 10/26/06Z 16.3N 82.0W 150MPH 922 Hurricane
19 10/26/09Z 16.5N 82.3W 150MPH 923 Hurricane
19A 10/26/12Z 16.6N 82.6W 155MPH 923 Hurricane
20 10/26/15Z 16.7N 82.9W 155MPH 923 Hurricane
20A 10/26/18Z 17.0N 83.2W 170MPH 906 Cat. 5 Hurricane
21 10/26/21Z 17.2N 83.6W 180MPH 905 Hurricane (lowest pressure)
21A 10/27/00Z 17.3N 83.8W 180MPH 906 Hurricane
22 10/27/03Z 17.4N 84.1W 180MPH 906 Hurricane
22A 10/27/06Z 17.4N 84.5W 180MPH 918 Hurricane
23 10/27/09Z 17.4N 84.8W 180MPH 917 Hurricane
23A 10/27/12Z 17.4N 85.2W 180MPH 917 Hurricane
24 10/27/15Z 17.3N 85.0W 165MPH 917 Hurricane
24A 10/27/18Z 16.9N 85.4W 155MPH 928 Hurricane - Cat. 4
25 10/27/21Z 16.8N 85.8W 155MPH 929 Hurricane
25A 10/28/00Z 16.6N 85.6W 150MPH 932 Hurricane
26 10/28/03Z 16.5N 85.6W 140MPH 933 Hurricane
26A 10/28/06Z 16.5N 85.6W 140MPH 933 Hurricane
27 10/28/09Z 16.3N 85.6W 135MPH 942 Hurricane
27A 10/28/12Z 16.4N 85.6W 120MPH 949 Hurricane - Cat. 3
27A 10/28/12Z 16.4N 85.6W 120MPH 949 Hurricane - Cat. 3
28 10/28/15Z 16.4N 85.6W 120MPH 948 Hurricane
28A 10/28/18Z 16.4N 85.6W 120MPH 948 Hurricane
29 10/28/21Z 16.4N 85.9W 115MPH 960 Hurricane
29A 10/29/00Z 16.3N 86.0W 105MPH 966 Hurricane - Cat. 2
30 10/29/03Z 16.3N 86.0W 100MPH 970 Hurricane
30A 10/29/06Z 16.3N 86.0W 100MPH 970 Hurricane
31 10/29/09Z 16.0N 85.9W 85MPH 979 Hurricane - Cat. 1
31A 10/29/12Z 16.0N 85.7W 80MPH 987 Hurricane
32 10/29/15Z 16.0N 85.6W 75MPH 987 Hurricane
32A 10/29/18Z 15.9N 85.6W 75MPH 990 Hurricane
33 10/29/21Z 15.9N 85.8W 60MPH 994 Tropical storm
33A 10/30/00Z 15.5N 85.8W 60MPH 995 Tropical storm
34 10/30/03Z 15.5N 85.5W 50MPH 995 Tropical storm
34A 10/30/06Z 15.4N 85.7W 50MPH 995 Tropical storm
35 10/30/09Z 15.4N 86.1W 40MPH 996 Tropical storm
35A 10/30/12Z 15.4N 86.1W 40MPH 997 Tropical storm
36 10/30/15Z 15.3N 86.2W 40MPH 997 Tropical storm
36A 10/30/18Z 15.3N 86.5W 40MPH 997 Tropical storm
37 10/30/21Z 15.1N 86.8W 60MPH 998 Tropical storm
37A 10/31/00Z 14.5N 87.0W 50MPH 1000 Tropical storm
38 10/31/03Z 14.4N 87.3W 50MPH 1000 Tropical storm
38A 10/31/06Z 14.0N 87.0W 50MPH 1000 Tropical storm
39 10/31/09Z 14.2N 87.9W 40MPH 1000 Tropical storm
39A 10/31/12Z 14.0N 88.0W 40MPH 1000 Tropical storm
40 10/31/15Z 14.5N 88.7W 35MPH 1001 Tropical depression
41 10/31/21Z 14.5N 89.9W 35MPH 1001 Tropical depression
42 11/01/03Z 14.6N 90.5W 35MPH 1002 Tropical depression
43 11/01/09Z 15.0N 91.4W 35MPH 1002 Tropical depression
44 11/01/15Z 14.9N 91.6W 30MPH 1005 Tropical depression
45 11/01/21Z 15.0N 92.3W 30MPH 1005 Tropical depression - dissipating
46 11/03/21Z 19.4N 91.3W 45MPH 997 Regenerates - Tropical storm
46A 11/04/00Z 20.0N 90.6W 45MPH 997 Tropical storm
47 11/04/03Z 20.2N 90.2W 40MPH 997 Tropical storm
47A 11/04/06Z 20.3N 89.9W 40MPH 997 Tropical storm
48 11/04/09Z 20.8N 89.4W 35MPH 998 Tropical depression
49 11/04/15Z 21.8N 88.3W 45MPH 998 Tropical storm
49A 11/04/18Z 23.0N 86.0W 45MPH 993 Tropical storm
50 11/04/21Z 23.5N 85.8W 45MPH 993 Tropical storm
50A 11/05/00Z 23.8N 85.4W 45MPH 993 Tropical storm
51 11/05/03Z 25.3N 84.0W 50MPH 993 Tropical storm
51A 11/05/06Z 25.4N 83.0W 55MPH 994 Tropical storm
52 11/05/09Z 25.7N 82.3W 55MPH 993 Tropical storm
52A 11/05/12Z 26.2N 81.7W 55MPH 993 Tropical storm
53 11/05/15Z 27.1N 80.2W 65MPH 990 Tropical storm
53A 11/05/18Z 27.9N 78.8W 65MPH 992 Tropical storm
54 11/05/21Z 28.2N 76.9W 60MPH 992 Extratropical
Most Deadly Western Hemisphere Hurricanes on Record
| Name |
Date |
Where it hit |
Deaths |
| "The Great Hurricane" |
1780-10-10 -> 1780-10-16 |
Martinique & St. Eustatius |
22,000 |
| Hurricane Mitch |
1998-10-22 -> 1998-11-04 |
Honduras & Nicaragua |
>11,000 |
| Not Named |
1900-09-08 |
Galveston Island |
8,000 |
| Hurricane Fifi |
1974-09-14 -> 1974-09-19 |
Honduras |
8,000 |
| Not Named |
1930-09-1 -> 1930-09-6 |
Dominican Republic |
8,000 |
| Hurricane Flora |
1963-09-30 -> 1963-10-08 |
Haiti & Cuba |
7,200 |
| Not Named |
1776-09-06 |
Point Petre Bay |
>6,000 |
The Most Powerful Atlantic Hurricanes on Record
| Name |
Date |
Pressure (inHg) |
Peak Winds (knots) |
Time it was a Cat 5 (hours) |
| Gilbert |
1988-09-13 |
26.22 |
160 |
18 |
| Florida Keys |
1935-09-03 |
26.34 |
140 |
3 |
| Allen |
1980-08-07 |
26.55 |
165 |
24+24+12=60 |
| Mitch |
1998-10-26 |
26.73 |
155 |
33 |
| Camille |
1969-08-17 |
26.73 |
165 |
24 |
Other Category 5 Hurricanes
| Storm Name |
Maximum Wind Speed |
Date Attained (UTC) |
Category 4 strike |
| Not Named |
160 mph |
1928-09-13 |
Puerto Rico |
| Not Named |
160 mph |
1932-09-05 |
Bahamas |
| Not Named |
160 mph |
1935-09-03 |
US/FL Keys |
| Not Named |
160 mph |
1938-09-19 |
No Land Fall |
| Not Named |
160 mph |
1947-09-16 |
Bahamas |
| Dog |
185 mph |
1950-09-06 |
No Land Fall |
| Easy |
160 mph |
1951-09-07 |
No Land Fall |
| Janet |
175 mph |
1955-09-28 |
Mexico |
| Cleo |
160 mph |
1958-08-16 |
No Land Fall |
| Donna |
160 mph |
1960-09-04 |
No Land Fall |
| Ethel |
160 mph |
1960-09-15 |
No Land Fall |
| Carla |
175 mph |
1961-09-11 |
No Land Fall |
| Hattie |
160 mph |
1961-10-30 |
No Land Fall |
| Beulah |
160 mph |
1967-09-20 |
No Land Fall |
| Camille |
190 mph |
1969-08-17 |
US/MS |
| Edith |
160 mph |
1971-09-09 |
Nicaragua |
| Anita |
175 mph |
1977-09-02 |
No Land Fall |
| David |
175 mph |
1979-08-30 |
No Land Fall |
| Allen |
190 mph |
1980-08-07 |
No Land Fall |
| Gilbert |
185 mph |
1988-09-14 |
Mexico |
| Hugo |
160 mph |
1989-09-15 |
No Land Fall |
| Mitch |
180 mph |
1998-10-26 |
No Land Fall |
What is a "Category 5 Hurricane"?
| Type |
Category |
Damage |
Pressure (inHg) |
Winds (mph) |
Storm Surge (ft) |
| Depression |
- |
- |
- |
>30 |
- |
| Tropical Storm |
- |
- |
- |
39-73 |
- |
| Hurricane |
1 |
minimal |
>28.94 |
74-95 |
4-5 ft |
| Hurricane |
2 |
moderate |
28.50-28.91 |
96-110 |
6-8 ft |
| Hurricane |
3 |
extensive |
27.91-28.47 |
111-130 |
9-12 ft |
| Hurricane |
4 |
extreme |
27.17-27.88 |
131-155 |
13-18 ft |
| Hurricane |
5 |
catastrophic |
<27.17 |
>155 |
>18 ft |
