MIAMI — Tropical Storm Julia formed off the Guajira Peninsula of Colombia early Friday and is forecast to become a hurricane this weekend, while it moves across the Caribbean Sea toward Nicaragua where it’s expected to make landfall.
The National Hurricane Center announced the formation of Julia Friday morning. Julia is not a threat to Florida and is the 10th named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
“Life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides are expected across portions of Central America this weekend,” according to the hurricane center.
The system is about 140 miles north-northwest of Barranquilla, Colombia, and 415 miles east of Isla de Providencia, according to the hurricane center’s 8 p.m. advisory.
It has maximum sustained winds near 45 mph, a small increase from earlier in the day as forecasters say Julia has strengthened. Julia’s tropical storm-force winds now extend up to 80 miles, mainly to the northeast of the center.
Forecasters expect Julia will continue strengthening, as it quickly moves west across the southwest Caribbean Sea. It should become a “hurricane by Saturday evening or Saturday night while it moves over the southwestern Caribbean Sea,” the hurricane center said. The forecast predicts it will become a Category 1 hurricane.
“Hurricane-force winds and a dangerous storm surge are expected in areas where the core of the system crosses the islands and moves onshore in Nicaragua,” the hurricane center said.
After making landfall in Nicaragua Sunday, the system is expected to weaken to a tropical storm, then a depression and dissipate by Monday as it moves over Central America.
Tropical storm Julia watches/warnings
— Hurricane warning issued for Colombian islands of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina, and also for Nicaragua from Laguna de Perlas to Puerto Cabezas.
— A hurricane watch is in effect for Nicaragua from Bluefields to the Nicaragua/Honduras border, and also for Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border.
— A tropical storm watch is now in effect from the Nicaragua/Honduras border west to Punta Patuca in Honduras.
— A tropical storm warning is in effect for Nicaragua south of Laguna de Perlas to Bluefields, and north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border.
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