Tropical Storm Sara has formed in the Caribbean, alerting Florida residents to a possible midweek hurricane.
Sara became a tropical storm on the afternoon of Thursday, November 14, according to the National Hurricane Center. The system now has maximum sustained winds of around 40 mph and considerably greater gusts.
The system is traveling west at around 12 mph, and its center should pass along the coast of eastern Honduras before shifting slightly northward late Friday, Nov. 15, and throughout the weekend.
Forecasters say “some strengthening is possible if the system remains over water.” However, they contend that “it is too soon to determine what impacts, if any, the system could bring to portions of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, including Florida.”
“Residents in these areas should regularly monitor updates to the forecast,” NHC forecasters said on Thursday. Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings remain in effect for Honduras’ Bay Islands and the country’s northern coast, from Punta Sal eastward to the Honduran-Nicaraguan border.
A tropical storm watch is in force for Nicaragua’s northeastern coast, from Puerto Cabezas northward.
Sara is expected to move off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula at about noon local time on Monday, November 18, before entering the Gulf of Mexico.
From there, it is uncertain where the storm will travel. However, AccuWeather’s meteorologists believe Sara “could re-strengthen and threaten Florida with flooding rain, storm surge, and damaging winds.”
However, for the storm to gather power in the Gulf of Mexico early next week, it must maintain a center of circulation after making landfall in Central America.
“The exact track when over the Gulf will depend on Sara’s organization and ability to regain strength at midweek,” according to AccuWeather.
Only three names remain on the list for the Atlantic hurricane season, which finishes on Saturday, November 30.
Once all 21 names on the list have been assigned to a storm, forecasters will name storms using the Greek alphabet until the season is over.