Sara — 2024

Sara formed from a broad area of low pressure in the southwestern Caribbean Sea that merged with a tropical wave in mid-November. A well-defined center developed by 0600 UTC 14 November 2024, and the system became a tropical storm later that day. It moved slowly westward along the northern coast of Central America, reached peak strength late on 15 November, stalled near the Bay Islands of Honduras for a time, then moved west-northwest into the Gulf of Honduras and into Belize before dissipating over land on 18 November. Sara made two official landfalls. The first was near Punta Patuca, Honduras around 0120 UTC 15 November as a tropical storm with 40‑kt (about 45 mph) winds. The second landfall was near Dangriga, Belize around 1400 UTC 17 November as a tropical storm with 35‑kt (about 40 mph) winds. After the second landfall Sara weakened quickly and the center dissipated inland near the Guatemala–Mexico border on 18 November. The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at 45 knots (about 52 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 997 millibars, which was the peak intensity reached around 1200 UTC 15 November. At peak strength Sara remained a tropical storm (below hurricane strength). The main hazard was very heavy rain and freshwater flooding. Parts of the northern coast of Honduras received more than 40 inches (over 1,016 mm) of rain. In Belize, 4‑day totals from 14–17 November ranged from about 3 to 18 inches (76–457 mm), with the heaviest accumulations over central and northern Belize. Reported storm-surge or coastal inundation measurements were not available in the surface-observation record; wind observations showed gusts but no sustained tropical-storm-force winds were credibly reported from buoys or land stations in the NHC data tables. Sara caused significant flooding and infrastructure damage in Central America. Governments and media reported nine direct fatalities overall: seven in Honduras and two in Nicaragua, all associated with heavy rain and river flooding. In Honduras flooding and landslides destroyed or damaged many bridges, underpasses, roadways, and about 4,000 homes (over 400 destroyed); agricultural losses there were estimated at about $18 million USD. Nicaragua reported about 1,800 homes damaged and multiple landslides; Belize reported housing damages estimated at about $7.23 million USD. Mexico and Guatemala experienced minor flooding and mudslides. Notable items: the storm developed from a disturbance that was given Tropical Weather Outlook mention up to about three days before formation, and forecasts and warnings were issued early including Potential Tropical Cyclone advisories so watches and warnings could be posted. NHC official track and intensity forecasts performed at or better than recent averages for this storm, though some models struggled with the track because of uncertainty in the steering ridge and potential land interaction.