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Central American storm may become tropical depression in coming days, hurricane center says

Posted at 8:54 AM, Oct 07, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-07 10:54:55-04

(CNN) — A potential tropical cyclone is looking to wreak havoc on Central America in the next few days.

Known as “Potential Tropical Cyclone 14” by the National Hurricane Center, the storm is expected to form in the northwestern Caribbean Sea on Sunday, with heavy rains heading for western Cuba.

Track the storm

The system is expected to become a tropical depression late Saturday or Sunday and become a tropical storm by Sunday night, the center said. On the current forecast track, the center said the system is expected to move across the Yucatan Channel near the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula through Sunday night, and then move into the southern Gulf of Mexico on Monday.

There is a tropical storm watch for the coast of Mexico from Tulum to Cabo Catoche, where tropical storm conditions are possible Sunday and Monday. There is also a tropical storm warning for the Cuban provinces of Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth.

Currently, the storm is moving north at 7 mph. It is 120 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico, and is 240 miles south-southwest of the western tip of Cuba, according to the hurricane center’s 11 p.m. ET update Saturday.

The storm may also produce 3 to 7 inches of rain in western Cuba and 2 to 4 inches over the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize and northern Honduras through Tuesday. Western Cuba could see isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches, the center said.

Many of these areas seeing the downpour of rain could also see life-threatening flash floods, the hurricane center said.