Hurricane Iota strengthens to a Category 2 storm

Hurricane Iota, the season’s 13th hurricane, strengthened to a Category 2 storm on Sunday evening, its strongest winds reaching 100 mph, and it was expected to be at or near Category 4 strength ahead of its forecasted landfall in northeastern CentralAmerica, the National Hurricane Center said.

“Rapid strengthening is expected during thenext24 hours, andIota is forecast to be an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane when itapproaches CentralAmerica,” the National Hurricane Center said in a 7 p.m. Sunday public advisory.

If the forecast holds, Iota would be “only (the) 2nd Atlantic hurricane to reach Category 4 intensity this late in the calendar year on record,” according to Colorado StateUniversity meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.

Only 2005 has had more hurricanes on record, at 15, Klotzbach added.

Iota had increased in intensity from a tropical stormto a hurricane at Category

1 strength, with90mph winds, by Sundaymorning, before intensifying again to a Category 2 hurricane by Sunday night. Iota is likely to be at Category 3 strength Monday, forecasters said.

By Monday night, Iota is expected to reach Category 4 hurricane strength — with winds at 140 mph — as it approaches the coast of northern Nicaragua and northeasternHonduras.

The storm is expected bring life-threatening storm surge of 9 to 13 feet to the region, wherehurricaneand storm surge warnings were in effect Sunday.