Climate
Will tropical storm Sara hit the US? These are its path, trajectory, and the possible affected states
So far, topical storm Sara is expected to make landfall in Central America before heading back out to the Gulf of Mexico, with few details currently known on its path after that.
Tropical Storm Sara is making landfall in Central America, with Honduras already seeing catastrophic flash flooding and landslides as the country is inundated with rain, reports the National Hurricane Center (which forms part of the US National Weather Service). Guatemala and Belize, particularly in areas close to the border of the two countries, are also expected to see the storm’s impacts as it whips through the Yucatan Peninsula. After the storm passes through the area, it is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico, where it is expected to weaken significantly.
Will the storm hit the United States?
As of Friday afternoon, the NHC has not updated its forecasts to indicate that the storm will then begin moving toward the United States. Earlier this week, some models had shown Sara entering the Gulf of Mexico rather than heading toward Central America, creating a risk of a major storm hitting Florida. However, should the storm change direction and pick up speed, the NHC’s website will provide the latest updates.
2024 has been a very active and dangerous hurricane season
According to forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the 2024 hurricane season in the western Atlantic has been particularly active. Sara is the 19th named storm of the season, which runs until November 30. Hurricane Beryl, one of the earliest and most powerful storms to form in the western Atlantic, reached Category 5 status. Beryl set a precedent for the severity of storms expected in the coming months.
After Beryl’s early appearance, the Atlantic experienced a relatively calm period, but this changed dramatically when Hurricane Helene began to develop in late September. Florida residents and the state government have had years to prepare for powerful hurricanes, and alerts were issued to warn residents about the imminent danger of the storm. Unfortunately, residents in western North Carolina, north of Florida, were less fortunate. With little warning, flash flooding and mudslides devastated entire communities and resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives.
Just a few weeks later, Florida’s western coast was hit by Hurricane Milton, which broke records as one of the most powerful storms to develop in the Gulf of Mexico, fueled by warmer-than-average temperatures that allowed the storm to gain power much more quickly than many meteorologists anticipated.