Tropical Storm Sara may dissipate before reaching Gulf of Mexico, NHC says

TAMPA, Fla. – Tropical Storm Sara made landfall in Honduras and brought catastrophic conditions to parts of Central America, but it may not survive its trek across the Yucatán Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.

From Friday at 4, Sara was located at 16.0N and 85.1W. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour and was moving west at 9 miles per hour.

According to the NHC, the storm may intensify slightly on Friday, but interaction with land will limit further intensification.

What’s next for Sara?

The NHC says Sara will linger over the northern coast of Honduras until Saturday, possibly dumping meters of rain on the region while triggering life-threatening mudslides. Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala and western Nicaragua will also receive heavy rain.

This weekend, a mid-level ridge moving toward Florida will allow the storm to turn northwest toward Belize and then move over Mexico.

Models show the system moving through the Yucatán Peninsula, where it could dissipate on Monday before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.

“However, there will be a little bit of moisture that gets pulled into the Gulf,” FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg said.

What can Florida expect?

Osterberg says the remaining moisture will combine with a cold front, bringing rain to Florida in the middle to late next week.

“But it’s not going to be the big ‘bowling ball’ low that you see now,” Osterberg said.

As of Friday, the forecast calls for drier air and lower temperatures to move in behind the moisture, with highs in the 70s next Thursday.

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