A tropical storm named Sara, which is expected to make landfall this Friday in Honduras, will bring heavy rains to southeastern Mexico, according to the Mexican National Meteorological Service (SMN). The cyclone was located 60 kilometers southeast of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and 375 kilometers southeast of Puerto Costa Maya, Quintana Roo, with maximum sustained winds of 80 km/h and gusts of 100 km/h, moving west at 15 km/h.
The SMN forecasts intense rains of more than 250 mm in Quintana Roo, very strong rains of 50 to 75 mm in Campeche, and strong rains of 25 to 50 mm in Chiapas, Tabasco, and Yucatán. Additionally, north winds with gusts of 40 to 60 km/h are expected along the coasts of Quintana Roo and eastern Yucatán, along with swells of 1 to 3 meters in the Gulf of Tehuantepec and the coasts of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán.
The SMN warned about the possibility that the precipitation may be accompanied by electrical discharges and hail, which could cause landslides, increase in river and stream levels, as well as overflows and flooding in the mentioned areas. The formation of Sara has been surprising as it is a cyclone at this time of year.
In the 2024 hurricane season, Mexico has been impacted by three cyclones from the Atlantic: Hurricane Beryl and storms Chris and Alberto, with the latter responsible for six fatalities in Nuevo León, in the north of the country. On the other hand, the Mexican Pacific was hit by Hurricane John, which made landfall as a category 3 on September 23, claiming the lives of 29 people in the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Michoacán. Additionally, storm Ileana made landfall on September 14 in Sinaloa, causing minor damage.
