The National Hurricane Center reports that Tropical Storm Earl now has maximum sustained winds near 70 mph with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 90 miles from the center.
Earl is expected to strengthen and is likely to become a hurricane later today. Weakening is expected after the center of Earl moves inland.
The core of Earl is expected to pass near the Honduras Bay Islands this afternoon, and then make landfall in Belize tonight or early Thursday.
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 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast of the Honduras Bay Islands, Belize and the eastern Yucatan peninsula near and to the north of where the center makes landfall. Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and damaging waves.
NHC will issue its next advisory at 11:00 AM EDT.
