(CNN) — Hurricane warnings were issued Tuesday for the Bay Islands in Honduras and Belize, and there are warnings for the Yucatan region of Mexico as Tropical Storm Lisa continues to strengthen, the National Hurricane Center reported. NHC).
Lisa’s winds have increased to more than 60 miles per hour and are forecast to get even stronger.
Lisa is likely to become a hurricane when it reaches Belize overnight Wednesday. There, the government issued a hurricane warning Tuesday afternoon covering the entire coast of Belize from northern Puerto Barrios, Guatemala to southern Chetumal, Mexico.
A storm surge of 90 to 150 centimeters is forecast along the immediate coast of Belize in areas of onshore winds, and a storm surge of 30 to 90 centimeters is forecast for the Bay Islands of Honduras. Heavy rains could also produce flash flooding from northern Honduras all the way to the eastern Yucatan Peninsula, the NHC said.
Lisa is also expected to produce up to 8 inches of rain in parts of Belize and the Bay Islands of Honduras, according to the NHC. Up to 15 centimeters of rain is expected in parts of northern Honduras, Jamaica, Guatemala and the eastern Yucatan Peninsula. In the Cayman Islands and eastern Nicaragua, up to 5 centimeters of rain is expected, according to the NHC.
The storm currently has sustained winds of 45 mph and is moving west at 14 mph. It is about 515 kilometers southeast of Grand Cayman, the NHC said.
“A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area,” the NHC said. “The warning is usually issued 48 hours before the first expected appearance of strong tropical storm-force winds, conditions that make outdoor preparations difficult or dangerous.”
A tropical storm warning is also in effect for the Bay Islands. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Jamaica, the entire northern coast of Honduras, Guatemala from the Honduran border to Puerto Barrios, and Mexico from Chetumal to Punta Herrera.
Tropical Storm Lisa is expected to hit Belize on Wednesday as a severe tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane.
Lisa’s arrival comes after August projections from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicated a 60% chance of an above-normal season. His forecast called for 14 to 20 named storms (winds of 40 miles per hour or more). Of those named storms, forecasters believe six to ten will be hurricanes (winds of 119 km/h or stronger), and three to five will be major hurricanes (winds of 178 km/h or stronger).
Tropical storm Martin originates in the Atlantic Ocean
Meanwhile, this Tuesday, Tropical Storm Martin formed in the Atlantic, about 885 kilometers east-northeast of Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm does not pose a threat to land as it moves toward open waters in a northeasterly direction, away from the continental United States.
Further strengthening is forecast, with Martin expected to become a hurricane tomorrow, before becoming a very strong post-tropical storm in the North Atlantic later this week.
This is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic season and only the third time since 1966 that the Atlantic has had two simultaneous named storms in November (Lisa and Martin), according to hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
“The bottom line is that Martin, despite being November, is expected to become a high-latitude hurricane,” the hurricane center said.
The season’s 143 storms included five hurricanes and two major hurricanes (Fiona and Ian). An average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
There is still a month left in the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.