MIAMI – Tropical Depression Nineteen remains on track to strengthen into Tropical Storm Sara on Thursday as millions of people living and working in Central America brace for life-threatening and potentially catastrophic impacts, including flash flooding and mudslides.
According to COPECO, residents living along the banks of rivers and in other low-lying areas have been told to take preventive measures.
Precautions are also being taken for vessels in ports while work on land continues to secure roofs and clear drains and ditches to try and prevent urban flooding.
Travel to and from the region has also been impacted, with both American Airlines and United Airlines offering to waive some fees associated with changing flights.
Cruise lines are also telling passengers to watch for updates in case there are changes.
“Carnival Cruise Line’s Fleet Operations Center in Miami is actively monitoring the disturbance in the Caribbean,” a spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines said in an email to FOX Weather. “Guests are encouraged to opt-in to text alerts when checking in for upcoming cruises and to monitor emails.”
In addition, the spokesperson said it will “continue to monitor the storm and will factor in guidance from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the U.S. Coast Guard and local port authorities to provide timely updates as more information becomes available.”
What’s the latest with Tropical Depression Nineteen?
The tropical depression was first designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Nineteen on Wednesday after the system became better organized, which allowed for the NHC and other local governments to issue tropical weather watches and warnings in anticipation of the system becoming a tropical storm.
Tropical Storm Warnings and Tropical Storm Watches stretch across the Central American coastline from Nicaragua to Honduras.
Tropical Depression Nineteen is located more than 200 miles east-southeast of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
It’s moving off to the west at 14 mph.
What’s the forecast for Tropical Depression Nineteen?
The NHC said Tropical Depression Nineteen will continue to move to the west on Thursday, taking it across the western Caribbean Sea and near the coast of eastern Honduras.
After that, the NHC says the tropical depression will slow down and likely stall and meander near the northern coast of Honduras through the weekend.
That stall could potentially lead to catastrophic impacts for portions of Central America.
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Forecasters said that feet of rain could fall in portions of Honduras through early next week as the system remains over the area.
Rainfall totals of 10-20 inches, with locally higher amounts of 30 inches, are expected over northern Honduras.
“This rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, especially along and near the Sierra La Esperanza,” the NHC warned.
Other parts of Honduras, as well as Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala and western Nicaragua, could see 5-10 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts of 15 inches, through early next week.
Along the northern coast of Honduras, a storm surge of 1-3 feet is possible in areas of onshore winds, and the region should also expect large and destructive waves at the beach.
