| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 | |
| Formed | September 1st |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | September 12th |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 195 mph (315 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 886 mbar (hPa); 26.16 inHg |
| Fatalities | 4,380 (6 missing) |
| Damage | >$119 Billion |
Hurricane Marta was an extraordinarily powerful and extremely catastrophic Category 6 hurricane, the strongest of the hyperactive 2020 Finolian Ocean hurricane season. The thirteenth tropical storm, seventh hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the season, Marta made landfall as an incredibly intense Category 6 hurricane in Sébo, Finolia's second-largest city. The storm resulted in the greatest humanitarian crisis in modern Finolian history, leaving millions without access to electricity, water, food, and medical aid for up to 4 months in some areas. Over 4,000 people lost their lives in the aftermath of Marta. It was also the costliest tropical cyclone on record, resulting in an incredible $ARG 119 billion in damage throughout the Sébo metropolitan area.
Marta began as a tropical wave in the central Finolian Ocean. It meandered westward for a few days until it was declared a tropical depression on September 1st. It remained at such intensity for two days as it continued westward into the western Finolian Ocean. On September 3rd, the Finolian Meteorological Centre discovered gale-force winds in the system, designating it as a tropical storm and giving it the name "Marta". Marta struggled with strong westerly wind shear for several days, and at one point the storm was expected to dissipated. Despite its struggles, Marta gradually strengthened over the next 3 days, becoming a hurricane on September 6th. On September 7th, Marta began its northward turn and was forecast to make landfall in Majora as a low-end Category 2 hurricane. As it slowly trekked northward, Marta struggled to intensify as it continued to encounter powerful wind shear. On September 9th, wind shear subsided and the FMC expected some gradual strengthening as a result of this. Instead, Marta underwent a period of unprecedented explosive intensification, the fastest in history, becoming a Category 5 hurricane after just 12 hours on September 10th. Marta's sudden intensification can be attributed to its passing of very warm sea surface temperatures of up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. For the next 12 hours, Marta continued to intensify as a rapid rate before undergoing an eyewall replacement cycle and temporarily stabilizing in intensity. This intensification continued on September 11th as it become a historic Category 6 hurricane just hours before making landfall in Sébo with winds of 190 mph. Marta delivered storm surge of over 30 feet to the city, inundating much of the city's low-laying areas. After landfall, Marta continued northeastward and eventually dissipated late on September 12th.
The effects of Marta were catastrophic. The storm made landfall due northwest of Sébo, a city with a metro population of over 13 million. Combined with the incredible intensity of Marta at landfall, the storm produced unprecedented levels of damage and killed almost 4,400 people. As of 2024, Marta remains the costliest tropical cyclone on record with damages totaling over 119 Finolian argenties. An international-scale humanitarian effort took place in Sébo for several months, and the Finolian federal governments spent billions of argenties on emergency services, medical personnel, and infrastructure repair in the city. Millions of Finolians were left without power, access to food or clean water, emergency services, or outside communication for several months. Despite the catastrophic effects of the storm, the efforts of the federal government were widely praised as quick and effective, which greatly improved the approval of recently-elected president Arhan Ruubé.
Meteorological history[]
Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Finolian hurricane scale
Hurricane Marta began as a weak tropical wave over the central Finolian Ocean. It developed from a westward-moving series of thunderstorms just north of the equator in late August. These thunderstorms eventually organized into a tropical wave, which the Finolian Meteorological Centre marked as conductive for tropical development. The tropical wave experienced favorable conditions, surrounded by a humid air mass and warm sea surface temperatures. Despite this, the wave took several days to consolidate, and on August 30th it was given a high chance of development by the FMC. The wave became a tropical depression on September 1st after developing a well-defined low-level circulation. The depression, numbered Thirteen, moved west-southwest for about a day and a half before strengthening into a tropical storm, getting the name Marta.
The Finolian Meteorological Centre expected Marta to gradually strengthen. This forecast verified as the storm remained at tropical storm intensity for over two days. Marta continued to move westward around a high pressure system located over southeastern Finolia. The storm became a hurricane on September 6th after Finolian air force reconnaissance discovered Category 1 intensity winds inside. On September 7th, Marta began a northward turn as it began to strengthen. At this point, the FMC expected Marta to make landfall as a low-end Category 2 hurricane after some continued gradual intensification. However, they did note that their forecast had some uncertainty to it as the system moved over a stream of unusually hot sea surface temperatures of up to 89 degrees Fahrenheit. Marta encountered some wind shear on September 9th, which gave the FMC more confidence in their forecast.
Marta as a rapidly intensifying Category 3 hurricane on September 10th
On September 10th, despite forecasts, Marta was able to fight against the shear and underwent explosive intensification, the fastest ever recorded on the planet. In just 12 hours Marta strengthened from Category 1 intensity to Category 5 intensity and dropped 48 millibars in pressure. Marta briefly halted in intensification as it underwent an eyewall replacement cycle, before intensifying into an extremely powerful Category 6 hurricane with winds of 195 mph. During its peak intensity, Marta presented with a compact eyes and impressive outflow. An example of the stadium effect could be seen in the storm's eyewall. The storm's cloudtops were extremely cold, reaching temperatures of around -95F in the eyewall. During the final flight into Marta, air force reconnaissance flew through a shaft of intense hail and lightning, something seen in only the most intense tropical cyclones. Furthermore, Marta had a very symmetric appearance, which is commonly seen in intense hurricanes. Overnight on September 11th, Marta made its catastrophic landfall in Majora, striking the city of Sébo with winds of 190 mph and storm surge of over 30 feet.
Marta quickly weakened after making landfall. It delivered much-needed rain to areas of northeastern Majora and southeastern Téjos, which were experiencing a several-month long drought. Marta experienced an interaction with an incoming cold front, which accelerated the storm northeastward. It weakened and became a tropical depression on September 12th, becoming an extratropical cyclone later that day.
Preparation and impact[]
Hurricane Watches were issued in Sébo early on September 16 in preparation of the storm's arrival.
Legacy[]
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