Tropical Storm Lisa plows through Caribbean as Tropical Storm Martin forms in Atlantic
A growing Tropical Storm Lisa continued to push toward Central America in the Caribbean while Tropical Storm Martin formed in the Atlantic Ocean, both expected to form into hurricanes, according to the National Hurricane Center. The NHC also is monitoring a broad area of low pressure expected to develop near the Greater Antilles or over the southwestern Atlantic.
As of 8 p.m. Tropical Storm Lisa was located about 175 miles east of Isla Roatan, Honduras and 285 miles east of Belize City, Belize with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph heading west at 15 mph. The sustained winds increased from 45 mph Tuesday morning.
“Further strengthening is expected, and Lisa is forecast to become a hurricane overnight over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and continue to intensify on Wednesday as it approaches Belize.,” said NHC senior hurricane specialist Eric Blake.
Hurricane conditions are expected in the Bay Islands of Honduras beginning early Wednesday and along the coast of Belize by Wednesday afternoon.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 70 miles.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the Bay Islands and all of the Belize coast, a hurricane watch from the Belize-Mexico border north to Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico, and a tropical storm warning in effect for the entire north coast of Honduras, north coast of Guatemala and from the Belize-Mexico border north to Punta Herrero, Mexico.
The system is expected to drop 4 to 6 inches with some areas with as much as 10 inches across parts of Belize and the Bay Islands, northern Guatemala and the southeast portion of the Mexican state of Chiapas; and 2 to 4 inches with some areas as much as 6 inches in portions offar southeastern portion of the Yucatan Peninsula, Northern Honduras, and central Guatemala that could lead to flash flooding.
Meanwhile in the Atlantic Ocean, what had been nontropical area of low pressure with only a 10% chance to form tightened up overnight and became Tropical Storm Martin by late Tuesday morning.
In the northern mid-Atlantic, the low and associated thunderstorm activity had been forming more tropical characteristics in the last day.
As of 5 p.m., Martin was located about 630 miles east-northeast of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph moving east at 13 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 105 miles, but it’s no threat to land, but is a threat to shipping lanes.
“Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Martin is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday afternoon or night before transitioning to a powerful extratropical system on Thursday,” forecasters said.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. The season’s 14 named systems through Martin have now met the NOAA forecast for 2022.
The NOAA has predicted to be an above average season with 14 to 21 named tropical storms. This follows 2020′s record 30 named systems and 2021′s 21 named storms.
