Central America The center of Lisa will fly by or over the Honduras Bay Islands early Wednesday and approach Belize late Wednesday.
Tropical Storm Lisa is rapidly intensifying on its way to Central America and will become a hurricane in the northwestern Caribbean Sea between Tuesday night and early Wednesday, according to forecasts by the National Center for United States Hurricanes (NHC).
Lisa’s maximum sustained wind rose to 100 kilometers per hour (65 mph).
The Honduran government issued a hurricane warning for the Bay Islands and from north of Puerto Barrios to south of Chetumal, the NHC reported.
The Center for Atmospheric, Oceanographic and Seismic Studies of Honduras (CENAOS) reported that cloud bands associated with Lisa will produce “weak and scattered” rain and showers Tuesday afternoon. However, the wind speed increases at night.
Tropical Storm Lisa was spotted 335 km east of the island of Roatan in Honduras and 530 km east of Belize City as of 5 p.m. Tuesday. The storm is moving at 24 km/h.
The Guatemalan government changed the tropical storm warning to a tropical storm warning for the entire Caribbean coast. The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala (INSIVUMEH) assured that monitoring of the cyclone, which would reach its territory as a tropical storm and later become a depression, would continue.
A decrease in the forward speed of the storm is forecast for the coming days. According to NHC, center Lisa will fly over the southern Cayman Islands on Tuesday, move near or over the Honduras Bay Islands early Wednesday, and approach Belize later on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Mexican government issued a hurricane warning from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya and a tropical storm warning from Chetumal to Punta Herrero. The Meteorological Service of Mexico (SMN) announced that “very heavy rainfall” is expected in parts of Quintana Roo, where popular tourist hubs such as Cancun and Playa del Carmen are located.
Tropical storm winds extend up to 110 km from the center of the cyclone.
The Belize National Weather Service issued a hurricane watch for its entire coast Tuesday afternoon, from north of Puerto Barrios in Guatemala to south of Chetumal in Mexico. It will issue a similar warning for smaller ships tonight. “Boaters are advised to make all necessary preparations,” the government said.
“Because of the direct influence of this system, an increase in rainfall is expected from Wednesday, mainly from the north to the center of the country,” INSIVUMEH said. According to the weather service, the departments most at risk would be Izabal, Petén, Alta Verapaz, Norte de Quiché and Huehuetenango.
A tropical storm watch signifies that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area and is typically issued 36 hours before the impact begins.
Lisa could drop 4 to 6 inches of rain over Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras, northern Guatemala and the state of Chiapas in southeastern Mexico, which could trigger flash flooding.
Once upgraded to a hurricane, Lisa would be the sixth to make landfall this 2022 hurricane season.
Source: VÖA.