Tropical storm conditions are still affecting the coast of Belize and these conditions should spread over northern Guatemala on Thursday.
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The NHC said additional strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours, and Earl is likely to become a hurricane later on Wednesday.
Hurricane Earl has made landfall on the coast of Belize, bringing destructive winds and flooding rain.
Earl is already weakening into a tropical storm and the weakening trend will continue as it tracks northwestwards towards the Bay of Campeche.
Earl passed just to the north of Belize City at around 03:00 GMT on Thursday.
– Storm surge: water level could rise 4-6 feet above normal tide levels along the immediate coast of Belize and Yucatan Peninsula.
The heavy rains it was carrying “could cause flash floods and mud slides especially over higher terrain”, Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization said in a bulletin.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Earl had top sustained winds Wednesday of 75 miles per hour (120 kph).
As per CNN, The National Hurricane Center in Miami revealed the Category 1 storm is pushing west at 14 mph (23 kph), resulting in hurricane warnings issued in Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico south to the Belize – Guatemala boarder.
But the storm is expected to diminish in strength as it moves over land, deprived of the moisture source of the Caribbean.
Hurricanee Earl made landfall near Belize City, Belize early Thursday morning, bringing heavy rain along with winds up to 80 miles per hour. the US National Hurrican Center said.
Belize opened shelters across the country and cautioned residents to move to higher ground, especially in low-lying areas. Most of the 83 people on board were rescued, but the navy was looking for two missing.
After moving across the Yucatan Peninsula, Earl could briefly emerge into the southern Gulf of Mexico before moving ashore for a second time on Mexico’s Gulf Coast.
“Isolated maximum amounts of 18 inches are possible in Mexico and Belize”, the NHC added.
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The storm knocked over a large numbers of trees and utility poles in Honduras, officials say.
