Hurricanes in El Salvador
Hurricanes occurfrequently in El Salvador. On average, they happen about 8 times a year. The hardest hit regions are Sonsonate, La Unión and La Libertad.The hurricane season usually lasts from early June to late November.
The most severe hurricane to make landfall in El Salvador in the past 12 months was »Julia«. It reached a wind speed of up to 74 km/h on October 9, 2022 at 6:00 pm local time near Intipuc and was 23 kilometers in diameter at the time. According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a tropical storm hurricane. On the open sea, speeds of up to 139 km/h were measured (category 1).
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Current satellite image of the North Atlantic
03.06.2023 © CIMSS University of Wisconsin-Madison
Most violent hurricanes in El Salvador since 2018
Lisa: October 30 to November 5, 2022
Region:
Gulf of Mexico
Wind speed:
max. 148 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 985 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On November 2nd, 2022 at 3:30 pm it had the shortest distance at about 283 km north of Metapán in Santa Ana.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Barra Patuca in Honduras on November 1st at 6:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Barra Patuca in Honduras on November 1st at 6:00 pm.
Lisa: October 27 to November 5, 2022
Region:
Gulf of Mexico
Wind speed:
max. 130 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 988 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On November 2nd, 2022 at 6:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 336 km north of Metap in Santa Ana.
Julia: October 6-10, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
on land:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 307 km
Air pressure:
below 982 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
La Unión
San Miguel
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
La Unión
San Miguel
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
Julia: October 2-10, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
on land:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 333 km
Air pressure:
below 982 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
La Unión
San Miguel
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
La Unión
San Miguel
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
Bonnie: June 27 to July 11, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 964 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On July 2nd, 2022 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 153 km south of Intipucá in La Unión.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Corn Island in Nicaragua on July 1st at 6:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Corn Island in Nicaragua on July 1st at 6:00 pm.
Bonnie: June 22 to July 9, 2022
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 370 km
Air pressure:
below 964 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On July 2nd, 2022 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 204 km south of Intipuc in La Unión.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua on July 2nd at 6:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua on July 2nd at 6:00 am.
Celia: June 16-30, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
on land:
max. 46 km/h
Diameter:
max. 259 km
Air pressure:
below 997 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
La Libertad
Sonsonate
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Celia: June 13-28, 2022
Wind speed:
max. 102 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 222 km
Air pressure:
below 993 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Usulután
La Libertad
Sonsonate
Terry: November 2-10, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 778 km
Air pressure:
below 1006 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On November 5th, 2021 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 188 km south of Acajutla in Sonsonate.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Río Sereno in Panama on November 2nd at 12:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Río Sereno in Panama on November 2nd at 12:00 pm.
Nora: August 24-30, 2021
Wind speed:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 741 km
Air pressure:
below 976 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On August 24th, 2021 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 238 km east of San Francisco Menéndez in Ahuachapán.
Iota: November 12-18, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 250 km/h
on land:
max. 139 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1000 km
Air pressure:
below 917 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
La Unión
San Miguel
Cuscatlán
La Unión
San Miguel
Cuscatlán
Eta: October 31 to November 14, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 241 km/h
on land:
max. 59 km/h
Diameter:
max. 815 km
Air pressure:
below 922 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
Affected regions
La Unión
Morazán
Cabañas
La Unión
Morazán
Cabañas
Zeta: October 24-30, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 185 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1667 km
Air pressure:
below 970 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 3
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On October 25th, 2020 at 3:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 298 km northwest of Nueva Esparta in La Unión.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near George Town on the Cayman Islands on October 24th at 12:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near George Town on the Cayman Islands on October 24th at 12:00 pm.
Delta: October 4-11, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 222 km/h
Diameter:
max. 852 km
Air pressure:
below 953 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 4
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On October 6th, 2020 at 12:00 pm it had the shortest distance at about 571 km northwest of Nueva Esparta in La Unión.
Gamma: October 2-6, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 593 km
Air pressure:
below 978 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On October 2nd, 2020 at 12:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 290 km northwest of Nueva Esparta in La Unión.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Waspam in Nicaragua on October 1st at 6:00 pm.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Waspam in Nicaragua on October 1st at 6:00 pm.
Julio: September 4-7, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 74 km/h
Diameter:
max. 556 km
Air pressure:
below 1004 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On September 4th, 2020 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 230 km east of San Francisco Menéndez in Ahuachapán.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Paredón in Mexico on September 4th at 6:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Paredón in Mexico on September 4th at 6:00 am.
Nana: September 1-4, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
on land:
max. 56 km/h
Diameter:
max. 444 km
Air pressure:
below 994 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
Affected regions
Santa Ana
Santa Ana
Marco: August 20-25, 2020
Region:
Caribbean Sea
Wind speed:
max. 120 km/h
Diameter:
max. 667 km
Air pressure:
below 991 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
category 1
The hurricane did not make direct landfall in El Salvador. On August 21st, 2020 at 6:00 am it had the shortest distance at about 248 km northwest of Nueva Esparta in La Unión.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Waspam in Nicaragua on August 21st at 12:00 am.
Instead, the first landfall occurred near Waspam in Nicaragua on August 21st at 12:00 am.
Cristobal: June 1-12, 2020
Region:
Gulf of Mexico
Wind speed:
max. 93 km/h
on land:
max. 69 km/h
Diameter:
max. 815 km
Air pressure:
below 982 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Santa Ana
Santa Ana
Amanda: May 30-31, 2020
Wind speed:
max. 65 km/h
Diameter:
max. 1111 km
Air pressure:
below 1003 mbar
Saffir-Simpson scale:
tropical storm
Affected regions
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
Sonsonate
Ahuachapán
These evaluations are based on data from the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Individual data have been summarized or translated.
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