Sara is expected to move northward toward the United States coast four days after becoming a tropical storm.
According to the National Hurricane Center, torrential rains may create potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides as it sweeps into northern Honduras and Belize on Sunday, Nov. 17.
Sara is predicted to enter the Gulf of Mexico after reaching the Yucatán Peninsula, then travel toward Florida, bringing tropical precipitation to the state by Wednesday, Nov. 20.
“The exact track when over the Gulf will depend on Sara’s organization and ability to regain strength at midweek,” according to AccuWeather. “A storm with lower sustained winds is more likely to be pulled into the front and to the north–perhaps over the central Gulf coast. A more organized tropical depression or storm is more likely to track more to the east and into the Florida Peninsula.”
For Sara’s most recent anticipated track and timing, see the first graphic above.
Click on the second graphic above to view forecast rainfall amounts from the storm.
Starting Wednesday, Sara’s tropical moisture is likely to combine with a cold front accompanying a multi-threat storm heading from the Midwest to the East Coast.
In some parts of the Northeast, particularly northern New England, rain and snow may mix.
The exact timing of both systems is uncertain, and more forecast models will emerge in the coming days.
The Atlantic hurricane season for 2024 runs until Saturday, November 30.