Tropical Storm Karl to hit Yucatan Peninsula, bringing sustained winds of up to 65 mph

September 15th, 2010 - 6:09 pm ICT by BNO News  

MÉRIDA, MEXICO (BNO NEWS) – Tropical Storm Karl on Wednesday caused a tropical storm warning to be issued for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from Chetumal at the Mexico/Belize border stretching northward to Cabo Catoche, with the peninsula expecting maximum sustained winds nearing 65 mph (100 km/hr), with higher gusts, federal officials said.

Karl is expected to move over the Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, with general motion expected to decrease as it hits landfall. With sustained winds nearing 65 mph (100 km/hr), Karl could possibly approach Hurricane intensity just before landfall. The tropical storm is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday after it moves over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

A storm surge is expected to kick up flooding near and north of the area where Karl makes landfall, which will be accompanied by “large and damaging waves,” according to the National Hurricane Center. In addition, Karl is expected to bring with it 3 to 5 inches of rainfall to the Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, and northern Guatemala, with possible maximum isolated amounts of up to 8 inches.

Karl, as well as the other two Hurricanes near the Gulf of Mexico: Igor and Julia, have been forecast to not hit the mainland United States, but that could change in the coming days. Igor is approaching Category 5 status and Julia strengthened into a Category 4, with no coastal watches in effect for either storms.

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