Tropical depression 13: Storm threatens Central America

It may be October but hurricane season is long over yet, with Tropical Depression Thirteen, soon to be Hurricane Julia threatening Central America.

Hurricane season in the Atlantic lasts until November 30th, though tropical systems can still form beyond this date. In fact, September 10th is said to be the climatological peak of the season.

Presently, Tropical Depression Thirteen is expected to strengthen to a tropical storm later day, and then a hurricane over the weekend. Once this system becomes named, it will become the 10th this season.

The system is currently sat in the Caribbean Sea, to the north of Colombia and Venezuela where life-threatening flash flooding may be possible. It is then expected to track westwards and reach Central America by Sunday October 9th.

At this stage, the forecast cone takes the tropical cyclone directly across Nicaragua, before skirting slightly northwards into Honduras, El Salvador and then Guatemala, bringing heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding and mudslides to these areas.