Two tropical storms are expected to become hurricanes

Tropical Storms Martin and Lisa are forecast to become short-lived hurricanes on Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said, and a third storm could develop by the weekend.

As of 8 pm Tuesday, Lisa was 175 miles east of Honduras and 285 miles east of Belize City, Belize. Forecasters said Lisa is expected to become a hurricane overnight Tuesday as it moves over the northwestern Caribbean.

Martin formed Tuesday morning and was about 630 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, moving east at 13 mph as of 5 p.m. Martin is expected to become a hurricane Wednesday night before move into a powerful extratropical system on Thursday, according to the center’s latest advisory. . .

[ STAY UPDATED with the latest forecast for tropical weather at SunSentinel.com/hurricane ]

Martin was producing maximum sustained winds of 60 mph as of 5 p.m., moving east at 13 mph. Its tropical storm force winds extended 105 miles from its center.

Lisa was producing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving west at 15 mph. Its tropical storm force winds extended 70 miles from its center.

Hurricane watches and tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for areas of Honduras, Mexico, Belize and Guatemala beginning Tuesday.

Lisa is expected to arrive in Central America on Wednesday. By Wednesday night, Lisa’s wind speed will top out at 90 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane. It is expected to return to tropical storm strength, with top winds of 65 mph, a inland over southeastern Mexico on Thursday, according to the center’s latest advisory.

It could bring 1 to 2 inches of rain this week to parts of the Cayman Islands and eastern Nicaragua.

Breaking news alerts

How does it happen

Get updates on story developments as they happen with our free breaking news email alerts.

Jamaica, eastern Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, northern Honduras and Guatemala could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with up to 6 inches in localized areas.

Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras, northern Guatemala and part of southeastern Mexico could see flash flooding and 4 to 6 inches of rain, with localized totals of up to 10 inches, the National Hurricane Center said.

Neither storm poses a threat to Florida.

Forecasters are also monitoring a third possible storm, an area of ​​low pressure in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The area could move into the eastern Caribbean and develop over the weekend, the hurricane center said in its 8:00 p.m. advisory. The area has a 20% chance of developing as it moves north.

There have been two hurricanes and two major hurricanes, that is, category 3 or higher, so far this season.

NOAA has predicted between two and six more hurricanes to form before hurricane season officially ends on November 1. 30

The next named storm to form will be Nicole.