Ida continued to unleash flooding rain in Nicaragua Thursday and Thursday nightafter making landfall as a Category 1 hurricane. Ida was the second hurricanein three years to strike this Central American country. After moving over landIda weakened to a tropical depression.The last hurricane to slam into Nicaragua was Felix from 2007. Felix was apowerful Category 5 hurricane when sit lammed northeastern Nicaragua. Landfalloccurred during the early morning of Sept. 4. Felix's maximum sustained windsat this time were 160 mph.
Felix rapidly weakened over land, becoming a tropical rainstorm by dawn onSept. 5. The system finally dissipated during the evening of Sept. 6.
Felix has been blamed for at least 130 deaths in Nicaragua and Honduras. Mostof the deaths occurred in Nicaragua. The powerful winds and storm surge thataccompanied Felix severely damaged structures along the coast from PuertoCabezas, Nicaragua, northward.
Flooding, triggered by Felix's torrential rain, caused additional damage overinland parts of Nicaragua and Honduras. Puerto Cabeza topped Felix's rainfalltotals list with 7.11 inches. La Ceiba, Honduras, was inundated by 6.17 inchesof rain.
In addition to its intensity at landfall, the track of Felix is significantlydifferent from current Hurricane Ida. Felix originated as a tropical depressioneast of the Windward Islands. It took Felix just under five days to reachNicaragua after forming as a depression. Ida will do the same in less than aday.
The site of Felix's landfall was 23 miles northeast of Puerto Cabezas. Thestorm continued westward before weakening. Ida is currently movingnorthwestward and pressing inland about 85 miles to the southwest of PuertoCabeza.
Story by AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski
