Tropical Storm Sara timeline: Hurricane Sara unlikely to form but Florida could see impact
The chances for the 12th hurricane of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season are quickly slipping away as Tropical Storm Sara’s latest path takes it further westward over land.
The shifting path doesn’t change Sara’s timeline much, but it does have a considerable impact on the storm’s potential impacts on Florida.
A major Hurricane Sara was initially expected to have formed by this weekend, but the storm’s shifting path brought it closer to shore and briefly over land, dashing any chances of rapid intensification.
Tropical Storm Sara updates: Hurricane Sara unlikely to form but Florida could still feel by midweek
Even if Tropical Storm Sara can survive a trek through Central America this weekend, it may not have the winds and circulation to regain strength in a cooler Gulf of Mexico.
In a worst-case scenario, Florida could see downpours and possibly severe thunderstorms by midweek as moisture from a shredded Sara is carried over the Gulf of Mexico.
Here’s a look at the latest Tropical Storm Sara timeline.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 10 a.m. Friday
Tropical Storm Sara is skirting Honduras’ Caribbean Coast, heading west at about 5 mph. Sara will continue on that path through early Saturday before it begins approaching Belize.
Through early next week, northern Honduras is expected to see between 15 to 25 inches of rainfall due to the meandering storm. Nearby areas, including the rest of Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala, western Nicaragua and the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, will see between 5 to 10 inches of rainfall.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 7 p.m. Saturday
Tropical Storm Sara will finally begin a west-northwestward path toward Belize as it passes over the Bay Islands.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 7 p.m. Sunday
Tropical Storm Sara is expected to make landfall in Belize early Sunday. By Sunday night, the storm will likely be downgraded to a tropical depression as the center nears the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 7 p.m. Monday
The tropical depression will emerge into the Gulf of Mexico by Monday night. From here, the system’s remaining strength will determine whether it is steered northeast or east-northeast.
A stronger, more organized system will take a turn that ultimately leads it toward South Florida. A weaker storm will head more northward and could end up in the central Gulf Coast.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 7 p.m. Tuesday
The National Hurricane Center’s current timeline ends on Monday, but AccuWeather’s extended prediction shows that Sara will reach the central Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday night.
Tropical Storm Sara timeline 7 p.m. Wednesday
Tropical Storm Sara, or its remnants, will arrive in the U.S. by Wednesday. How and where the system will impact the U.S. will depend on how it emerges into the Gulf this weekend and to what degree it can regain strength over the Gulf.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Tropical Storm Sara timeline: When will Florida see impact?