Tropical Storm Sara dropped heavy rain on Honduras on Friday. At 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Sara was located at latitude 16.1°N and longitude 86.0°W which put the center about 30 miles (50 km) south-southwest of Isla Guanaja,, Honduras. Sara was moving toward the west at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the northern coast of Honduras. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Bay Islands of Honduras. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Caribbean coast of Guatemala. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City, Belize to the border with Guatemala.
Tropical Storm Sara dropped heavy rain on parts of Honduras on Friday. A weather station in La Ceiba, Honduras measured 21.89 inches (566 mm) of rain in 24 hours. There were reports of flooding in Honduras.
The center of Tropical Storm Sara was just north of the coast of Honduras. Bands of thunderstorms were occurring in the western and southern parts of Sara’s circulation. Bands in the northern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Sara consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Storms near the center of Sara continued to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.
The distribution of wind speeds in Tropical Storm Sara was asymmetrical because the southern half of Sara’s circulation was over land. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 115 miles (185 km) in the northern side of Tropical Storm Sara. The southern side of Sara was over land, and the winds there were blowing at less than tropical storm force.
Tropical Storm Sara will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Sara will move over water where where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge over the Caribbean Sea. The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the upper level ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. However, the fact that the southern half of Sara’s circulation is over land will inhibit intensification. Tropical Storm Sara could intensify during the next 24 hours if the the center of Sara’s circulation stays over water.
Tropical Storm Sara will move around the southern part of a high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Sara slowly toward the west during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, the center of Tropical Storm Sara will move along the coast of Honduras.
Tropical Storm Sara will bring strong winds to the coast of Honduras and to the Bay Islands. Sara will also continue to drop very heavy rain on Honduras. The fact that Sara is moving so slowly will result in a prolonged period of heavy rain near the coast of Honduras. Prolonged heavy rain will very likely cause catastrophic floods and mudslides. Tropical Storm Sara will also drop heavy rain over Belize and northeastern Guatemala during the weekend.