Delta was the 26th storm in the record-breaking 2020 Atlantic hurricane season
On this day in weather history, Hurricane Delta reached its second peak.
This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.
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Hurricane Delta formed from a tropical wave around the eastern Caribbean on Oct. 1, 2020. Delta was a part of the record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season. By the time Delta formed, it was the 26th tropical storm, 25th named storm, 10th hurricane, and third major hurricane.
Atlantic storms are named according to the English alphabet, excluding the letters Q, U, X, Y and Z. So after 21 named storms, Atlantic naming convection heads to the Greek alphabet.
On Oct. 5, the tropical wave was designated Tropical Depression 26, and then Tropical Storm Delta.
"Tropical Storm Gamma (left) and Hurricane Delta (right) on Oct. 5." Courtesy of Wikipedia
By Oct. 6, Delta strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane, making it one of the fastest intensifications in the Atlantic Ocean.
Delta first made landfall in Puerto Morelos, Mexico, as a Category 2 hurricane. The hurricane brought the town 165 km/h winds. It continued to weaken as it moved inland and was downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane as it emerged into the Gulf of Mexico.
On Oct. 8, Delta restrengthened, intensifying into a Category 3 storm. The next day, the storm made landfall near Creole, Louisiana, packing 155 km/h wind speeds. The storm turned into a remnant low after Oct. 10 and dissipated by Oct. 12.
In Mexico, Delta damaged trees, causing over 266,000 customers to lose power. Two deaths were reported in association with the hurricane. Overall in Mexico, Delta caused around US$186 million in damages.
Within the United States, Delta predominantly impacted Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Delta caused widespread flooding, power outages, and structural damage.
By the time Delta dissipated, it caused US$3.09 billion across Mexico, the U.S. and the Caribbean.
To learn more about Hurricane Delta, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."
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