Hurricane Iris - Definition

Hurricane Iris before landfall in Belize.

Hurricane Iris was a Category 4 storm that devastated Belize in October of 2001. The storm formed as a tropical depression on October 4th just southeast of Barbados. The depression continued moving westward into the Caribbean Sea and formed into a tropical storm given the name "Iris" on October 5th just to the south of Puerto Rico. The storm formed into a hurricane on the 6th, and thereafter strengthened very quickly, with its pressure dropping from 990 millibars to 950 millibars in 18 hours. Just before landfall on the coast of Belize, the very small hurricane reached its peak intensity, with its winds at 145 miles per hour and its pressure at 948 millibars. After moving ashore at Belize on the 9th, the storm quickly weakened over the mountains of Central America, and its circulation disappeared in less than 18 hours.

See also

• List of notable tropical cyclones
• List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
• 2001 Atlantic hurricane season