Hurricane Eta rapidly intensified to a major hurricane over the Caribbean Sea east of Nicaragua on Monday afternoon. At 1:00 p.m. EST on Monday the center of Hurricane Eta was located at latitude 14.7°N and longitude 82.0°W which put it about 85 miles (135 km) east of Cabo Gracias a Dios. Eta was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 140 m.p.h. (225 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 957 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Sandy Bay Sirpi, Nicaragua to the Honduras/Nicaragua border. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from the Honduras/Nicaragua border to Punta Patuca, Honduras. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the Honduras/Nicaragua border to Punta Patuca, Honduras. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta Patuca to Punta Castilla, Honduras.

Hurricane Eta continued to intensify rapidly on Monday afternoon. A small circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) developed at the center of Hurricane Eta. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Thunderstorms near the center of Eta generated strong upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The removal of mass allowed the surface pressure to decrease quickly, which contributed to rapid intensification. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Eta.

Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 120 miles (195 km) from the center. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Eta was 22.1. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 7.6 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 29.7. Hurricane Eta was capable of causing major damage.

Hurricane Eta will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 9 hours. Eta will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Eta is likely to continue to intensify rapidly during the next few hours and it could strengthen to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Hurricane Eta will move south of a ridge of high pressure over the western Atlantic Ocean. The ridge will steer Eta toward the west during the next 24 to 36 hours. On its anticipated path Hurricane Eta could approach the coast of Nicaragua on Tuesday morning. Eta will be a major hurricane when it reaches Nicaragua. The steering currents will weaken when Hurricane Eta nears Nicaragua. Eta will move slowly when that happens and it could drop very heavy rain over Nicaragua and Honduras. Catastrophic flash floods could occur in that region.