Article first published: Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, 6 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, 12 p.m. ET

According to the National Hurricane Center’s 12 pm Friday advisory, Tropical Storm Sara is 30 miles south-southwest of Isla Guanaja Honduras and 170 miles southeast of Belize City, with maximum sustained wind of 50 mph. It’s moving at 2 mph to the west.

“… the center of Sara will continue to move close to the northern coast of Honduras through early Saturday before approaching Belize, and then moving onshore in Belize during the day on Sunday.” according to forecasters.

YESTERDAY (Friday):

Yesterday, the weather system gained sufficient intensity to be named Sara. The tropical depression upgraded to a tropical storm with winds of 40 mph. Sara approached Honduras’s coastline from the Caribbean Sea.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

– The Northern coast of Honduras.

– The Bay Islands of Honduras

– The Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala

– The coast of Belize from Belize City southward to the Belize-Guatemala border.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

Interests elsewhere in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula should monitor the progress of this system. Additional Watches and Warnings could be required for portions of these areas later this afternoon.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND:

RAINFALL: Through early next week, rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 inches with isolated storm totals around 35 inches area expected over northern Honduras. This rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, especially along and near the Sierra La Esperanza.

Elsewhere across the rest of Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua, and the Mexican State of Quintana Roo, Tropical Storm Sara is expected to produce 5 to 10 inches of rain with localized totals around 15 inches through early next week. This will result in areas of flash flooding, perhaps significant, along with the potential of mudslides.

For a complete depiction of forecast rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Sara, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/refresh/graphics_at4+shtml/205755.shtml? Rainqpf#contents

WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area in Honduras during the next couple of days. Tropical storm conditions are expected in Guatemala and Belize beginning on Saturday.

STORM SURGE: Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds along the northern coast of Honduras. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves. A storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level near and to the north of where the center of Sara crosses the coast of Belize.

Source: National Hurricane Center