Storm history › Atlantic › 1998 season
Hurricane Mitch (1998)
Mitch was a Category 5 hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic season. It was tracked from October 22, 1998 to November 9, 1998, about 19 days, and covered 7,421 miles.
At its peak it had winds of 180 mph (285 km/h) and a lowest pressure of 905 mb.
It made 3 landfalls, the first near Limón, Honduras.
Its closest pass to a major city was 2 miles from Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Its peak winds rank 7th of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record.
- Peak wind
- 180 mph
- Lowest pressure
- 905 mb
- Strongest
- Category 5 hurricane
- Landfalls
- 3
- Duration
- 19 days
- Track length
- 7,421 mi
- Energy (ACE)
- 35.9
DepressionTropical stormCat 1Cat 2Cat 3Cat 4Cat 5
Landfalls
| # | Date (UTC) | Near | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 29, 1998 | Limón, Honduras | 80 mph (130 km/h) |
| 2 | November 4, 1998 | Campeche, Mexico | 40 mph (65 km/h) |
| 3 | November 5, 1998 | Bonita Springs, United States | 65 mph (100 km/h) |
Closest pass to major cities
| City | Closest pass |
|---|---|
| Guatemala City, Guatemala | 2 mi (3 km) |
| Mixco, Guatemala | 3 mi (5 km) |
| Villa Nueva, Guatemala | 10 mi (16 km) |
| Mérida, Mexico | 10 mi (16 km) |
| Tuxtla, Mexico | 12 mi (19 km) |
| Tegucigalpa, Honduras | 37 mi (60 km) |
| San Salvador, El Salvador | 62 mi (100 km) |
How it compares
- Peak winds: 7th highest of 2,017 Atlantic storms on record, tied with Hurricane Milton (2024), Hurricane Irma (2017), Hurricane Rita (2005).
- Lowest pressure: 10th lowest of 1,294 Atlantic storms with a recorded pressure, tied with Hurricane Dean (2007).
- Energy: 20% of the 1998 Atlantic season's ACE.