Former Tropical Storm Nana strengthened into a hurricane as it neared a landfall in Belize. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Nana was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 87.5°W which put it about 60 miles (95 km) southeast of Belize City, Belize. Nana was moving toward the west at 16 m.p.h. (26 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.
A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City to the Belize/Guatemala border. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City to the Belize/Mexico border. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Belize City to Belize/Mexico border. A Hurricane Warning was also in effect for the portion of the coast from Puerto Costa Maya to Chetumal, Mexico. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala, Isla Roatan and the Bay Islands. A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the north coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca to the border with Guatemala.
Former Tropical Storm Nana moved into a more favorable environment on Wednesday night and strengthened to a hurricane. More thunderstorms formed near the center of circulation and those thunderstorms helped to spin up the circulation. Since the circulation around Hurricane Nana was relatively small, it was able to spin up into a hurricane in a few hours. Winds to hurricane force extended out 15 miles (25 km) on the northern side of Nana. Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 70 miles (110 km) from the center of circulation.
Hurricane Nana has a few more hours when it could strengthen before it makes landfall in southern Belize. Nana will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be less vertical wind shear. Hurricane Nana could get a little stronger.
Hurricane Nana will move south of a subtropical high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean. The high will steer Nana a little to the south of due west. On its anticipated track Hurricane Nana will make landfall on the coast of Belize south of Belize City early on Wednesday morning. Nana will be capable of causing localized wind damage. It could cause a storm surge of up to eight feet (2.6 meters) along the south coast of Belize. Hurricane Nana will drop heavy rain over parts of southern Belize and northern Guatemala. Flash floods could occur in some locations.
Elsewhere over the North Atlantic Ocean, former Tropical Storm Omar weakened to a tropical depression north of Bermuda. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Depression Omar was located at latitude 36.1°N and longitude 64.1°W which put it about 265 miles (425 km) north of Bermuda. Omar was moving toward the east at 13 m.p.h. (20 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.