At 8:00 PM EDT the center of Hurricane Earl was located near latitude 17.3 North, longitude 86.9 West. Earl is moving toward the west near 14 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue.
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is still possible before Hurricane Earl reaches Belize tonight. Weakening will begin after the center of Earl moves inland.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles primarily to the northeast of the center.
Tropical storm conditions will reach Belize and Mexico within the hurricane and tropical storm warning areas in a few hours. Hurricane conditions are expected in portions of the hurricane warning area in Belize and Mexico tonight.
Hurricane Earl is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 8 to 12 inches over portions of Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico through Thursday night. Very heavy rain will reach the Mexican states of Tabasco and Veracruz between Thursday night and Saturday morning. Isolated maximum amounts of 16 inches are possible in Belize and Mexico. These rains could result in life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.
A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast of Belize and the eastern Yucatan peninsula near and to the north of where the center makes landfall. Storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in areas of onshore winds on the Bay Islands of Honduras.
The next complete advisory will be at 11:00 PM EDT.
