| Category 5 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
 Nadine at peak intensity, shortly before landfall in Belize on October 24 | |
| Formed | October 20, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | November 2, 2024 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 175 mph (280 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 901 mbar (hPa); 26.61 inHg |
| Fatalities | ≥2739 |
| Damage | $15 billion (2024) |
| Areas affected | Central America (particularly Belize and Guatemala), Cuba, Florida Keys and the Bahamas |
| Part of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Nadine was an extremely deadly and catastrophic Category 5 hurricane that struck Central America and the Bahamas in October of 2024. The 14th and final tropical storm, hurricane, and major hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, it developed due to an interaction between a tropical wave and an upper-level low on October 20. Low wind shear and warm waters allowed it to rapidly intensify into a Category 1 hurricane on October 21, and the storm was named Nadine. Hours after becoming a hurricane, it grazed the Honduras and Nicaragua, prior to beginning a second, and much more intense, phase of rapid intensification. In the span of 2 days, the system intensified from a 90 mph Category 1 hurricane to a 160 mph Category 5, as it turned sharply to the west on October 24. Peaking as a 175 mph Category 5 hurricane with a minimum central pressure of 901 mbars, it struck Belize at peak intensity late on October 24. It performed a slow counter-clockwise loop over Belize before it accelerated to the north-northwest roughly 2 days later. As a Category 2 hurricane, it performed a direct hit over extreme eastern Cuba on October 27, and struck the Bahamas the next day as a high-end Category 2. Afterwards, it accelerated into the Northern Atlantic, transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on October 30, and becoming a European windstorm around the same time. It struck Ireland prior to dissipating on November 2.
The impacts of Hurricane Nadine were profound and devastating. 2300 people were reported dead or missing in Belize alone due to the extreme wind, storm surge, and flooding deluges that occurred due to Belize. 400 were reported dead of missing elsewhere in Mexico, Central America, and the surrounding areas. It's impacts in Cuba, Florida, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas were less severe, but still significant, with 39 deaths reported in those areas. A total of $15 billion in damage was reported due to Hurricane Nadine- $13 billion in Central America, and the rest in Cuba, southern Florida and the Bahamas. The hurricane was the strongest in both wind speed and minimum centrak pressure to strike Central America, and one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes recorded in October. Mistreatment of funds given to Belize so that the country could be rebuilt led to the deadly Belizean Revolution, the subsequent civil war, and, ultimately, the Central American War.
Meteorological history
Convective activity associated with a deep tropical wave began interactions with an upper-level low on October 18, just to the north of Panama. The development of a potentially intense tropical cyclone appeared to be imminent according to the National Hurricane Center, as numerous tropical weather models had depicted a hurricane of varying intensities forming in the area. Once the area of convection began to develop a circulation, the NHC named the system Potential Tropical Cyclone Fourteen, and began issuing tropical storm and hurricane watches, along with some tropical storm warnings, along the Central American coast. As the storm began to organize, a Hurricane Hunters reconnassaince aircraft was sent into the disturbance to investigate it, and found that it was nearly producing gale-force winds around a well-defined circulation. Consequently, the National Hurricane Center designated the storm Tropical Depression Fourteen, at 06:00 UTC on October 20.
Almost immediately, Fourteen began its first period of rapid intensification, with the system being designated a tropical storm only 6 hours later, being named Tropical Storm Nadine. The storm was aided by sea temperatures of around 84F, and a significant lack of upper-level winds in the area. By 00:00 UTC on October 21, Dvorak intensity estimates done by the NHC determined that Nadine was a Category 1 hurricane, the 6th of the Atlantic hurricane season. 4 hours later, Nadine made landfall in Nicaragua, with winds of 80 mph, and a minimum central pressure of 979 mbars. For 12 hours, Nadine paralleled the Honduran coast shortly after moving back into the sea. Outflow from the nearby Hurricane John in the Pacific Ocean pushed Nadine to the north and slightly weakened it. However, now in an area with sea temperatures of about 87F, Nadine began another period of explosive intensification, slowly curving back to the south. From 03:00 UTC on October 22 to 06:00 October 24, Nadine went from a 90 mph Category 1 hurricane to a 160 mph Category 5 hurricane, making it one of the fastest-intensifying Atlantic hurricanes in history.
Hurricane Nadine peaked as a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 175 mph, and a minimum central pressure of 901 mbars. Due to its slow movement, the storm was expected to weaken slightly prior to landfall in Belize, due to upwelling. However, waters were warm enough for the hurricane to maintain its intensity up until its landfall in Belize, at 21:00 UTC on October 24. Hurricane Nadine's pressure of 901 mbars at its landfall in Belize made it the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in Central America, and one of the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. Nadine performed a slow, counter-clockwise loop over Belize, dumping extremely heavy rainfall amounts over the area due to an interaction with the then-weakening Hurricane John (which later made landfall in Mexico itself as a Category 4). A peak rain total of 42 inches was recorded in Belize. During that time, it also rapidly weakened, falling to Category 1 hurricane intensity before it moved back into the Caribbean on October 27, rougly 2 days after landfall.
Hurricane Nadine shortly after directly hitting Cuba on October 27.
The hurricane revolved around a tropical low-pressure system in the southern Gulf of Mexico (that would not develop), gathering moisture from the system and reintensifying into a Category 2 hurricane by 12:00 UTC on October 27. The same day, it's eastern eyewall moved ashore extreme-eastern Cuba, in the form of a direct hit. The system maintained its intensity until it reached the Bahamas as a 110 mph Category 2 hurricane. It made multiple landfalls in the Bahamas on October 28, before it moved out into the open Atlantic Ocean as a 100 mph Category 2 hurricane. With the system reaching cooler waters, Nadine accelerated to the northwest, turning extratropical on October 30. Later the next day, the system moved over Ireland and Great Britain as a European windstorm, with maximum winds of 50 mph. It was soon absorbed into a stronger extratropical cyclone on November 2.
Preparations
Central America
Prior to the development of Nadine's precursor, the development of a potentiall significant tropical cyclone was anticipated. Tropical weather models consistently depicted a strong system forming in the southwest Caribbean, although there was no determined consensus on the direction of the system. Upon the formation of Potential Tropical Cyclone Fourteen, tropical storm watches and warnings, along with hurricane watches, were posted along the coast of Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. Upon Nadine's upgrade to a hurricane on October 21, all coastal tropical cyclone advisories in Honduras and a majority of Nicaragua were upgraded to hurricane warnings- parts of Nicaragua were placed under a hurricane watch. Tropical storm warnings were also extended to Guatemala and Belize, along with some hurricane watches in those areas.
When Nadine began its second period of rapid intensification, hurricane warnings extended along the Belize, Guatemalan and Honduran coast, along with parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Numerous types of tropical cyclone advisories extended farther inland, and various flood alerts were posted due to the threat of flooding rains. As the system intensified, and forecasts became more precise in their predictions regarding where Nadine would make landfall, mandatory evacuation orders were posted in Belize, the southern Yucatan, and Guatemala. The threat of catastrophic storm surge, flooding, and winds were made known by local authorities throughout Belize. In anticipation of the severe impact that seemed likely, food, water, and other necessary supplies were prepared for when the storm cleared Belize and the surrounding areas.
Elsewhere
Prior to Nadine's Central American landfall, impacts in the western Greater Antilles were deemed likely. As a result, tropical storm watches and warnings were put in place in anticipation of these impacts. As Nadine reintensified into a Category 2 hurricane and approached eastern Cuba, hurricane warnings were put in place in anticipation for those impacts. Storm surge warnings were also put in place in eastern Cuba due to the storm. However, no further tropical cyclone advisories were put in place due to the systems distance from the rest of Cuba. Like in Central America, recovery materials were prepared in anticipation of the storm, albeit much less than in Central America.
In the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, hurricane watches and warnings were put in place in anticipation of Nadine. Evacuation was encouraged, especially near the Bahamas, and volunteers in both areas helped build up sand dunes to prevent significant storm surge.
Impact
Nicaragua and Honduras
Winds associated with Nadine first began to impact Nicaragua around 20:00 UTC, as the intensifying tropical storm approached the country. Gusts of up to 70 mph were reported before Nadine intensified into a hurricane. Nadine made landfall in Isla San Pío, Nicaragua, shortly after it became a hurricane, and as the system paralleled the coast of the Honduras and northern Nicaragua, wind speeds picked up drastically. Sustained winds of around 80 mph were observed along the northern Nicarauguan coastline, and the western Honduran coastline. A peak storm surge of around 3 feet was observed, resulting in significant coastal flooding.
In Isla San Pío, 4 people drowned due to significant storm surges. 12 landslides were recorded in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region, resulting in 16 deaths.