Hurricane Sara nears landfall; floods, mudslides loom for Central America

The National Hurricane Center reported on Friday that Tropical Storm Sara is continuing its slow movement near the northern coast of Honduras, prompting widespread warnings and raising concerns about catastrophic flooding and mudslides across Central America. As per the latest advisory, Sara remains a significant weather threat, with heavy rainfall, storm surge, and strong winds affecting the region.
Current Location: About 30 miles (50 km) south-southwest of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and 170 miles (270 km) southeast of Belize City.
Maximum sustained winds: 50 mph (85 km/h).
Movement: West at 2 mph (4 km/h), with a slow westward motion expected over the next day, followed by a more west-northwestward path late Saturday.
Minimum central pressure: 997 mb (29.44 inches).
A Tropical Storm Warning is currently in effect for the following areas:
The northern coast of Honduras,
The Bay Islands of Honduras,
The Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala,
The coast of Belize from Belize City southward to the Belize-Guatemala border.
Rainfall: A major concern is the heavy rainfall expected to impact northern Honduras, where 15 to 25 inches of rain (with isolated totals of 35 inches) could cause widespread and catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, particularly near the Sierra La Esperanza. Elsewhere, significant rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected across Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, eastern Nicaragua, and the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, increasing the risk of flash flooding and mudslides.
Winds: Tropical storm conditions are expected to affect the warning areas in Honduras within the next 24 hours, with winds reaching 50 mph (85 km/h) and higher gusts. These winds will strengthen as the storm moves closer to Belize by Saturday and is expected to make landfall in Belize on Sunday.
Storm Surge: Areas along the northern coast of Honduras could see storm surges that raise water levels by 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels, with destructive waves further compounding the risk.
Hurricane Sara has already begun causing severe disruptions, with heavy rains leading to flash floods in Honduras. The slow-moving nature of the storm means it will linger over the region for several days, increasing the duration of extreme weather conditions.