On November 23, a new burst of deep convection developed near the center and Otto became a hurricane while located about 175 mi east of the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border. After that, rapid intensification occurred as Otto moved westward toward Central America. Maximum sustained winds increased to an estimated 100 kt as Otto made landfall in the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve in extreme southern Nicaragua around 1730 UTC November 24. After landfall, Otto weakened below hurricane strength as it crossed southern Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica, and it emerged into the eastern North Pacific Ocean early on November 25. Over the Pacific, Otto encountered strong shear and dry mid-level air. This caused the tropical cyclone to gradually weaken while it moved west-southwestward at an increasingly faster forward speed. The system weakened to a tropical depression by 1200 UTC October 26 and shortly thereafter it degenerated into a trough about 490 miles south of Salina Cruz, Mexico. Otto is responsible for 18 deaths, including 10 in Costa Rica and 8 in Panama. The late-season hurricane set several historical records, including 1) latest hurricane formation in a calendar year in the Caribbean Sea, 2) strongest hurricane on record for so late in the year, 3) latest hurricane landfall in the Atlantic basin within a calendar year, and 4) the farthest south a hurricane has made landfall in Central America. Acknowledgements: The cyclone summaries are based on Tropical Cyclone Reports prepared by the author and Lixion Avila, Robbie Berg, Eric Blake, Mike Brennan, Dan Brown, John Cangialosi, Todd Kimberlain, Richard Pasch, and Stacy Stewart. These reports are available on the Internet at . Table 1. 2016 Atlantic hurricane season statistics. Winds Pressure Name Classa Datesb Deathsc (kt) (mb) Alex H Jan 12 - 15 75 981 Bonnie TS May 27 - June 4 40 1006 1 Colin TS June 5 - 7 45 1000 Danielle TS June 19 - 21 40 1007 1 Earl H August 2 - 6 75 979 81 Fiona TS August 16 - 23 45 1004
On November 23, a new burst of deep convection developed near the center and Otto became a hurricane while located about 175 mi east of the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border. After that, rapid intensification occurred as Otto moved westward toward Central America. Maximum sustained winds increased to an estimated 100 kt as Otto made landfall in the Indio Maíz Biological Reserve in extreme southern Nicaragua around 1730 UTC November 24. After landfall, Otto weakened below hurricane strength as it crossed southern Nicaragua and northwestern Costa Rica, and it emerged into the eastern North Pacific Ocean early on November 25. Over the Pacific, Otto encountered strong shear and dry mid-level air. This caused the tropical cyclone to gradually weaken while it moved west-southwestward at an increasingly faster forward speed. The system weakened to a tropical depression by 1200 UTC October 26 and shortly thereafter it degenerated into a trough about 490 miles south of Salina Cruz, Mexico. Otto is responsible for 18 deaths, including 10 in Costa Rica and 8 in Panama. The late-season hurricane set several historical records, including 1) latest hurricane formation in a calendar year in the Caribbean Sea, 2) strongest hurricane on record for so late in the year, 3) latest hurricane landfall in the Atlantic basin within a calendar year, and 4) the farthest south a hurricane has made landfall in Central America. Acknowledgements: The cyclone summaries are based on Tropical Cyclone Reports prepared by the author and Lixion Avila, Robbie Berg, Eric Blake, Mike Brennan, Dan Brown, John Cangialosi, Todd Kimberlain, Richard Pasch, and Stacy Stewart. These reports are available on the Internet at . Table 1. 2016 Atlantic hurricane season statistics. Name Classa Datesb Winds (kt) Pressure (mb) Deathsc Alex H Jan 12 - 15 75 981 Bonnie TS May 27 - June 4 40 1006 1 Colin TS June 5 - 7 45 1000 Danielle TS June 19 - 21 40 1007 1 Earl H August 2 - 6 75 979 81 Fiona TS August 16 - 23 45 1004