Julia forecast to become a hurricane before reaching Nicaragua
Featured image: Tropical Storm "Julia" at 21:20 UTC on October 7, 2022. Credit: NOAA/GOES-East, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers
Tropical Storm “Julia” is strengthening and is expected to become a hurricane before reaching the coast of Nicaragua on Sunday, October 9, 2022.
At 06:00 UTC today, Julia’s center was located about 460 km (285 miles) E of Isla de Providencia, Colombia. It had maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h (60 mph) and a minimum central pressure of 999 hPa.1
It was moving W at 30 km/h (18 mph) and this general motion should continue through tonight, with a westward motion at a slower forward speed expected on Sunday and Sunday night.
On the forecast track, the center of Julia is expected to pass near or over San Andres and Providencia Islands this evening (LT) and then reach the coast of Nicaragua on Sunday morning, October 9.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Nicaragua south of Laguna de Perlas to Bluefields; Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Nicaragua south of Laguna de Perlas to Bluefields; Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Honduras from the Nicaragua/Honduras border to Punta Patuca.
Julia or its remnants will then turn west-northwestward over Central America by Monday.
Steady to possibly rapid strengthening is forecast while Julia moves across the southwestern Caribbean Sea during the next day or so, and the system is expected to become a hurricane by the time it passes near or over San Andres and Providencia Islands and reaches the coast of Nicaragua.
Quick weakening is anticipated after Julia moves inland on Sunday, and it is likely to become a remnant low or dissipate by Monday.
Life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides are expected across portions of Central America this weekend.
References:
1 Tropical Storm Julia Intermediate Advisory Number 7A – NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL – 200 AM EDT Sat Oct 08 2022
I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
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