As of 4 a.m. the storm was 195 miles from Honduras and 315 miles from Belize with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph.
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Landfall is possible as a hurricane early Thursday in Belize.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the entire coast of Belize, along with small portions of Mexico and Honduras.
Tropical Storm Earl is set for Belize City, however, officials are cautious that the storm could cause damage to nearby areas including Tulum, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Jose Maria Morelos, Bacalar and Othon P. Blanco.
As it moves inland, it is expected to weaken.
Earl’s winds could reach the Honduran coast late Tuesday and Mexico and Belize by today, the center said. A tropical disturbance, now entering the western Caribbean Sea, is still trying to develop into a tropical storm.
Although is likely that Earl will keep its tropical storm status there is also a hurricane watch for the east coast of Yucatan Peninsula from Punta Allen southward to the Belize/Guatemala border. The first was an unusual January hurricane, Alex.
Earl continues to gain strength and move west at 16 miles per hour from its position in the Caribbean Sea, where conditions are favorable for it to grow stronger.
Beyond that, it remains uncertain whether Earl’s center will re-emerge over the Bay of Campeche Friday into early Saturday.
The affected areas will experience flooding and high winds.
Storm surge may raise water levels up to 3-5 feet above normal tide levels, the National Hurricane Center said.
The U.S. does not appear to be in its path.
2016 Atlantic hurricane season storm names.
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According to reports, weather related to this storm battered the Dominican Republic from Sunday through Monday, with at least six people having been reported killed after heavy winds knocked down power lines onto a bus in Nagua.
