Tropical Storm Sara is bringing heavy rain to Central America. Image courtesy National Hurricane Center
Nov. 16 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Sara is stationary and causing life-threatening flooding and mudslides for portions of Central America, the National Hurricane Center said Saturday. In its 9 a.m. CST update, the late-season storm is about 5 miles southeast of Isla Roatan, Honduras and about 140 miles southeast of Belize City with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph .
A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the Bay Islands of Honduras and the north coast of Honduras from Punta Sal eastward to the Honduras/Nicaragua border, the Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala, the coast of Belize and the coast of Mexico from Puerto Costa Maya southward to Chetumal.
“A faster motion toward the west-northwest and northwest expected on Sunday and Sunday night,” NHC said.
On the forecast track, the center of Sara will continue to move ear the Bay Islands of Honduras on Saturday before approaching Belize on Saturday night, and then moving on shore in Belize during the day Sunday.
Sara then is expected to dissipate Sunday night or Monday as it crosses the southern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula.
The center continued to predict rain totaling from 15 to 25 inches with isolated storm totals around 35 inches area expected over northern Honduras.
This rainfall will lead to widespread life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, especially along and near the Sierra La Esperanza, NHC said.
Across the rest of Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua, and the Mexican State of Quintana Roo, are expected to receive 5 to 10 inches of rain with localized totals around 15 inches through early next week.
Sara is the 18th named storm of the Atlantic season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30.