Tropical Storm Nana Strengthens, Hurricane Watch Issued for Belize

Tropical Storm Nana strengthened on Tuesday night and a Hurricane Watch was issued for Belize.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Nana was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 80.9°W which put it about 485 miles (775 km) east of Belize City, Belize.  Nana was moving toward the west at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 999 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was issued for the entire coast of Belize.  A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for Belize.  A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Puerto Costa Maya to Chetumal, Mexico.  Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for the Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala and for the north coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca to the border with Guatemala including Roatan Island and the Bay Islands.

Tropical Storm Nana continued to strengthen on Tuesday night.  There were signs that a small eye might be starting to form in the lower levels of the atmosphere.  More thunderstorms formed near the center of circulation.  Storms near the center generated upper level divergence which pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Nana will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Nana will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 29.5°C.  It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Nana is likely to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Nana will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Nana toward the west during the next 24 to 36 hours.  On its anticipated track the center of Tropical Storm Nana will pass north of Honduras.  Nana could approach Belize on Wednesday night.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Tropical Storm Omar continued to move away from North Carolina.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Omar was located at latitude 35.8°N and longitude 70.0°W which put it about 310 miles (500 km) east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.  Omar was moving toward the east-northeast at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.