Caribbean tropical rainstorm to bring dangerous conditions to Central America
Flooding, mudslides and other dangers are in store for some of the same areas that endured a deadly blow from the eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Pilar.
Areas hard-hit by deadly Tropical Storm Pilar are once again facing dangers from a tropical rainstorm.
A batch of showers and thunderstorms has evolved into a loosely organized tropical rainstorm that continue to bring showers and thunderstorms to Central America into early this week, with the likelihood of heavy rain and the potential for dangerous mudslides and flash flooding, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
The system began as a tropical wave that traveled westward from the coast of Africa a couple of weeks ago and began to flare up in the past week as it entered the eastern Caribbean. However, the system did not organize enough in time to become an officially named tropical storm as it moved onshore Saturday.
This image with Central America and a tropical rainstorm in the middle, shows a broad area of showers and thunderstorms on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023. (AccuWeather Enhanced RealVue™ Satellite)
Regardless of the system's status, the tropical rainstorm will cause a significant uptick in drenching showers and locally gusty thunderstorms from southern Mexico to Costa Rica and Panama with the bulk of the activity likely in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador.
"Even though an organized tropical system is not expected to impact Central America, the expected heavy rain combined with the rugged terrain of the region can produce life-threatening mudslides and flash flooding," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
Some of the downpours may soak areas hit by eastern Pacific Tropical Storm Pilar this past week. Pilar drifted eastward, producing rough seas, gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall, mainly in El Salvador, before the tropical storm turned 180 degrees and headed out to sea.
Pilar claimed the lives of at least four people, including three in El Salvadore and one in Honduras, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP). Heavy rainfall and the risk of flash flooding from the tropical storm displaced hundreds of people in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
"It is possible that the Atlantic tropical rainstorm may survive the trip westward across Central America this weekend and could organize on the eastern Pacific side this week," AccuWeather Tropical Meteorologist Alex DaSilva said.
Should development occur on the eastern Pacific side, the next name in the queue is Ramon.
What's next in the Atlantic?
The average November produces one named tropical system in the Atlantic basin, so time is running out on the 2023 season, according to data from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
AccuWeather meteorologists believe the Atlantic will remain quiet after the tropical rainstorm affects Central America through this week.
A vast area of wind shear will be present over the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and southwestern Atlantic, the primary development zone during November. Wind shear occurs when winds change direction or speed with altitude or across a horizontal plane. When wind shear is strong, it can prevent tropical development or cause a tropical storm or hurricane to weaken.
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