Storms Lisa & Martin: Lisa to become a hurricane in Caribbean

Tropical Storm Lisa continues to track west over the Caribbean. It is expected to enter the Gulf of Honduras on Wednesday, threatening Honduras, Belize, and eventually Guatemala and parts of the Yucatan Peninsula. Newly formed Tropical Storm Martin will move into the Northern Atlantic.

Let's start off by talking about the easiest storm. The National Hurricane Center initiated advisories on Tropical Storm Martin at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Most models show Martin losing strength within the next 24 hours. After Wednesday evening the storm could gain strength again and could become a hurricane. The good news is that Martin will stay over water without affecting land. By Friday, the storm will be quickly dissipating.

Tropical storm Lisa moves over the Caribbean and it is expected to continue tracking toward Central America, as there is a strong high pressure blocking the storm from turning northward.

Tropical Storm Lisa continues to hold maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Wind shear has been limiting intensification, but this will change tonight as the system comes over the Gulf of Honduras, and wind shear will be minimal. By Wednesday morning, Lisa could be a category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Further intensification is not expected as it will be close to land, and the storm will be moving between 10 to 15 mph.

Landfall is forecast south of Belize City on Wednesday night. Once Lisa is over land it will lose its wind force rapidly, but heavy rainfall will continue to affect Belize, northern Honduras, southern Mexico, and Guatemala. Up to 8 inches of rain are expected across Belize and the Bay Islands of Honduras. Eastern Yucatan Peninsula could receive between 2 and 4 inches of rain with some isolated areas getting up to 6 inches. The Cayman Islands could receive up to 2 inches of rain from Lisa.

Life-threatening storm surge is forecast for areas just north of where Lisa makes landfall in Belize, as much as 5 feet. Bay Islands of Honduras could also be affected by major storm surge between 1 to 3 feet.