Hurricane Delta (2020)

Basin

North Atlantic

Dates

October 4, 2020 to October 11, 2020

Peak strength

Category 4, 120 kt (138 mph)

Lowest pressure

953 mb (28.14 inHg)

Landfall

Yes

Accumulated cyclone energy

15.1

Tropical-storm-force wind reached

140 nmi (259 km, 161 mi) from the center at its widest

Hurricane-force wind reached

35 nmi (65 km, 40 mi) from the center at its widest

Eyewall radius at its peak

10 nmi (19 km, 12 mi)

Overall size

230 nmi (426 km, 265 mi) to the outermost closed isobar

Peak gust in the best track

145 kt (167 mph)

Fastest the center moved

20 kt (23 mph)

Identifier

AL262020

Radar at KLCH as it neared land, Oct 9, 23:00 UTC

The sources count different things and are not added together.

Landfall points the US agencies flagged in the best track. The nearest town is named from the site’s gazetteer, not from the report.

NOAA’s Storm Events database, the record National Weather Service offices compile months after a storm, as compiled March 2026.

Deaths

5 (5 direct, 0 indirect)

Injuries

17

Property damage

$3.4 billion

Crop damage

none recorded

Events recorded

227 in 23 reports from 8 states and marine areas

State by state

What was recorded

67 tropical storm, 52 flash flood, 23 heavy rain, 14 storm surge/tide, 11 hurricane (typhoon), 11 tropical depression, 10 coastal flood, 10 marine tropical storm, 9 tornado, 8 marine thunderstorm wind, 5 thunderstorm wind, 4 strong wind, 1 debris flow, 1 high surf, 1 waterspout.

9 tornadoes and 1 waterspout recorded in the United States, strongest first.

The strongest winds National Weather Service offices recorded with this storm. An estimated figure is a forecaster’s judgment from the damage, not an instrument reading.

From the Storm Events narratives, unedited.

The passage of Hurricane Delta about 200 miles east of the Willacy County coast around 2 AM on October 9th produced peak sea heights of 35 feet just prior to the eye's arrival at 1140 PM CDT on the 8th. Swell periods of more than 12 seconds began during the late afternoon at the site, and propagated quickly to the Willacy County Beaches. Soon after the time of high tide (likely close to 2:30 AM based on proxy with Brazos Santiago on South Padre Island), the combination of strong wave push with these above predicted tides likely produced significant beach erosion on the beach-facing barrier island.

Coastal Willacy, Texas · Storm Surge/Tide · Oct 9, 03:00 UTC

The passage of Hurricane Delta about 200 to 225 miles east of the Kenedy County coast around 4 AM on October 9th produced estimated peak sea heights of 35 feet just prior to the eye's arrival at 1140 PM CDT on the 8th. Swell periods of more than 12 seconds began during the late afternoon at the site, and propagated quickly to the Kenedy County barrier island. Soon after the time of high tide (likely between 2:30 and 3:30 AM), the combination of strong wave push with these above predicted tides likely produced significant beach erosion on the beach-facing barrier island.

Coastal Kenedy County, Texas · Storm Surge/Tide · Oct 9, 05:00 UTC

Hurricane Delta produced sustained tropical storm force winds across the marine areas including the bays and coastal waters. Gusts to near hurricane force occurred across NE zones. Hurricane force winds may have occurred in the High Island to Freeport zone beyond 20 nm but no observations there. Tropical storm force winds were observed at several sites for several hours. The highest observed winds were at Buoy 42035 with max sustained winds 47 knots and maximum wind gusts 63.3 knots.

High Is To Freeport Tx 20 To 60nm, Gulf of Mexico · Marine Tropical Storm · Oct 9, 15:00 UTC

Hurricane Delta produced sustained tropical storm force winds across the marine areas including the bays and coastal waters. Gusts to near hurricane force occurred across NE zones. Hurricane force winds may have occurred in the High Island to Freeport zone beyond 20 nm but no observations there. Tropical storm force winds were observed at several sites for several hours. The highest observed winds were at Buoy 42035 with max sustained winds 47 knots and maximum wind gusts 63.3 knots.

High Is To Freeport Tx Out 20nm, Gulf of Mexico · Marine Tropical Storm · Oct 9, 15:00 UTC

Delta produced minor to moderate impacts across the county due to tropical storm force winds and wind gusts. Peak wind gusts were estimated in the 60 to 70 mph range, though higher gusts may have occurred across the far western portion of the county closest to Delta's track. Trees, power lines, and power poles were downed throughout the county and nearly the entire county was without power at the peak. The wind and falling trees caused major damage to 14 homes and affected numerous roads. A woman drove into a downed tree. There was also a small child in the car. They both had minor injuries.

Wilkinson, Mississippi · Tropical Storm · Oct 10, 03:00 UTC

Delta produced minor to moderate impacts from tropical storm force winds. Peak gusts the parish are estimated in the 50-60 mph range. Numerous trees and some power poles were downed with with the worst damage on the west side of the parish. One tree fell on a home in Watson severely injuring the man who lived there. His wife also suffered minor injuries. At the peak, around 30 percent of the parish was without power. the towns of French settlement and Port vincent experienced a prolonged power outage as a result of the major power lines between the two communities being damaged.

Livingston, Louisiana · Tropical Storm · Oct 10, 03:00 UTC

Hundreds of trees were blown down across Adams County, including 6 to 8 trees down on houses. A tree fell onto a vehicle in Natchez. Power lines were also blown down throughout the county. Tropical storm force wind gusts were first measured at the Natchez-Adams County airport at 11:00 p.m. CDT on the 9th, and sustained tropical storm force winds were first measured at 12:00 a.m. on the 10th with a peak gust of 54 mph shortly before the airport instrumentation lost power. Rainfall amounts ranged from 3 to 7 inches across parts of the county.

Adams, Mississippi · Tropical Storm · Oct 10, 03:00 UTC

Delta produced minor coastal flooding in the form of storm surge across areas outside of the hurricane risk reduction system levees. The tide gauge at Pilots Station recorded a peak water level of 2.03 ft MHHW. The tide gauge at Pilottown recorded a peak water level of 1.10 ft MHHW. The tide gauge at Delacroix recorded a peak water level of 3.65 ft NAVD88. The tide gauge at Empire recorded a peak water level of 3.39 ft NAVD88. The tide gauge at Caernarvon recorded a peak water level of 3.35 ft NAVD88. The tide gauge at Amer Bay Palh recorded a peak water level of 3.23 ft NAVD88. The tide gauge at Black Bay Palh recorded a peak water level of 2.47 ft NAVD88.

Lower Plaquemines, Louisiana · Storm Surge/Tide · Oct 10, 06:00 UTC

Tropical depression force winds from Tropical Storm Delta blew down at least 20 trees across the county, and damage to power lines caused power outages in the Hamburg and Fountain Hill areas. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches occurred across the county.

Ashley, Arkansas · Tropical Depression · Oct 10, 08:00 UTC

Tropical Storm Delta clipped the southeast corner of Arkansas with gusty winds that brought down trees and powerlines in the town of Warren. No estimates of wind speed were given but winds were likely 40-45 mph.

Bradley, Arkansas · Tropical Storm · Oct 10, 10:42 UTC

A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 90 mph and a maximum path width of 75 yards travelled 1.43 miles across parts of Newton County on the west side of Covington. The tornado first touched down near the intersection of Washington Street and Walker Bend Parkway and moved northwest, ending just south of I-20 along Woodhaven Drive. The tornado produced some tree and structural damage with the most serious and extensive damage occurring along Turner Lake Circle at a homeless shelter where portions of the roof and walls of the building were damaged. Two people suffered minor injuries. [10/10/20: Tornado #1, County #1/1, EF-1, Newton, 2020:028].

Newton, Georgia · Tornado · Oct 10, 20:34 UTC

National Weather Service meteorologists surveyed damage in Chambers County and determined that it was consistent with an EF0 tornado, with maximum winds near 75 mph. A brief weak tornado touched down along County Road 92 northeast of Lafayette and tracked northeast before ending along County Road 176. Several pine trees were uprooted or leaning on both sides of County Road 92. A hardwood tree was uprooted along County Road 176 where the tornado dissipated. A weak TDS was detected in association with this tornado.

Chambers, Alabama · Tornado · Oct 10, 21:14 UTC

A National Weather Service survey team found that an EF0 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 80 mph and a maximum path width of 200 yards travelled 0.7 miles across a portion of northeast Lilburn in southwest Gwinnett County. The tornado touched down just west of Bethesda Park, between Lilburn and Lawrenceville and moved northwest, snapping or uprooting multiple trees in a residential area between Oak Park Drive NW and Sweetwater Drive. Several trees fell onto homes, but damage to these homes were minor. Before lifting, the tornado crossed Lawrenceville Highway, snapping a few additional trees. No injuries were reported. [10/10/20: Tornado #7, County #1/1, EF-0, Gwinnett, 2020:034].

Gwinnett, Georgia · Tornado · Oct 11, 00:43 UTC

Rainfall total of 2.73 inches was reported at (1.7 SSE) Zanoni. Rainfall total of 2.59 inches was reported at (3.5 NNE) Gloucester Courthouse. Rainfall total of 2.09 inches was reported at (0.6 S) Gloucester Point.

Gloucester, Virginia · Heavy Rain · Oct 11, 10:00 UTC

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A best track is the record a warning agency settles on after the storm, not what it said at the time: position, maximum sustained wind and central pressure every six hours, revised against every observation that came in later. Category is the Saffir-Simpson scale, which runs from Category 1 at 64 kt to Category 5 at 137 kt and reads wind only, so it says nothing about surge or rain. Accumulated cyclone energy adds up the square of the wind through the storm's life, so it counts strength and duration together.

Storm history from NOAA NCEI’s International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship (IBTrACS), which merges the official best track of every warning agency. Live storms, cones, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. Archived radar from NOAA’s Level II archive.

• Tropical cyclone report, National Hurricane Center
• Every advisory and discussion NHC issued while it was live
• Best track as KMZ, National Hurricane Center
• Best track as a shapefile, National Hurricane Center
• Wikipedia article: Hurricane Delta