Tropical Storm Julia fashioned Friday within the Caribbean Sea, triggering hurricane watches and warnings for Nicaragua and Colombian islands. A number of Central American nations might additionally see heavy rainfall and flooding by Monday.
Julia had most sustained winds of 40 mph and was shifting west at 18 mph as of Friday night, in keeping with the U.S. Nationwide Hurricane Heart (NHC).
Julia is "anticipated to develop into a hurricane" by the point its eye passes close to or over Colombia's Providencia and San Andres islands on Saturday evening, and reaches the Nicaraguan coast Sunday morning, the NHC mentioned.
It is anticipated to weaken because it strikes over inland Nicaragua Sunday, after which seemingly dissipate Monday, the NHC mentioned, as its remnants transfer northwest over Central America.
Nevertheless, Julia is anticipated to carry heavy rainfall to a number of Central American nations, with the danger of "life-threatening flash floods and mudslides."
Japanese Nicaragua might see wherever from 5 to fifteen inches of rain, in keeping with the NHC, whereas San Andres and Providencia might get 6 to 12 inches. Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and Belize are additionally anticipated to obtain important rainfall ranging wherever from 3 to 12 inches.
The storm was about 450 miles east of Providencia Island Friday night, the NHC mentioned.
Nicaragua's authorities issued a hurricane watch from Bluefields to the Nicaragua-Honduras border.
Colombia's President Gustavo Petro mentioned by way of Twitter Friday that the federal government was getting ready shelters on the islands. San Andres authorities introduced a curfew on residents starting Saturday at 6 a.m. to restrict individuals within the streets. Yolanda González, director of Colombia's Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Research Institute mentioned Julia might be a Class 1 hurricane when it passes the islands late Saturday.