Tropical Storm Sara formed near Honduras on Thursday afternoon. At 1:00 p.m. EST on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Sara was located at latitude 15.7°N and longitude 82.9°W which put the center about 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Cabo Gracias a Dios. Sara was moving toward the west at 12 m.p.h. (19 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 999 mb.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Punta Sal, Honduras to the border with Nicaragua. A Tropical Storm Warning is also in effect for the Bay Islands of Honduras.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua to the border with Honduras.
A U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft found that former Potential Tropical Cyclone Nineteen had strengthened on Thursday afternoon. Based on data from the reconnaissance plane, the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Sara.
The circulation around Tropical Storm Sara exhibited more organization on Thursday afternoon. More thunderstorms formed near the center of Sara’s circulation. More thunderstorms also developed in the bands revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Sara. Storms near the center of Sara generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease.
The strongest winds in Tropical Storm Sara were occurring in the part of Sara’s circulation that was over the Northwestern Caribbean Sea. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 70 miles (110 km) in the northern half of Tropical Storm Sara. The winds over land were not as strong.
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. Tropical Storm Sara will continue to intensify during the next 24 hours unless the center of circulation moves inland over northern Honduras.
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 parallel to the coast of Honduras.
Tropical Storm Sara will bring strong winds to the coast of Honduras and to the Bay Islands. Sara will also drop very heavy rain on Honduras and northern Nicaragua. Heavy rain will very likely cause floods and mudslides.