CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) – The National Hurricane Center announced the 18th named hurricane of the season could reach the southeastern United States.
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As of 10 p.m. Thursday, Tropical Storm Sara’s center was located approximately 165 miles east-southeast of Guanaja Island, Honduras, near 15.8 degrees north latitude and 84.5 degrees west longitude.
Sarah is heading west at around 16 mph. A westward movement is expected at a slower advance rate over the next few days. A slow movement from the west to northwest is expected by late Saturday.
The projected track is for Sala’s center to approach the north coast of Honduras by early Saturday and the coast of Belize by Sunday.
Maximum sustained wind speeds increased to nearly 45 mph with stronger wind gusts. Further strengthening is likely in the coming days if Sara’s center remains off the northern coast of Honduras.
Tropical storm-force winds can extend outward up to 165 miles from the center.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 MB or 29.50 inches.
Early forecast models disagree on storm’s fate
Live 5 First Alert meteorologist Chris Holtzman says early forecast models show a lot of disagreement over Sarah’s ultimate path.
Some of it is dissipating in the Gulf, he said. But some say it could make landfall in the Florida Panhandle or the Florida Peninsula by Monday or Tuesday.
In any case, a hurricane watch is in place from Punta Castilla to the Honduras/Nicaragua border and the Gulf Islands of Honduras. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Honduras/Nicaragua border and Punta Sal in the Gulf of Honduras Islands. A tropical storm watch is also in place from the Honduras-Nicaragua border to Puerto Cabezas.
Atlantic hurricane season continues until November 30th.
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