JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Late-season Hurricane Otto formed Monday in the southwestern Caribbean and forecasters said it could impact Central America in the coming days.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said the storm had top sustained winds of 70 mph as of 4 p.m. Tuesday and the center of Hurricane Otto was located near latitude 10.5 North, longitude 79.6 West. Otto is moving toward the west near 2 mph (4 km/h). Otto should move a little faster toward the west or west-northwest for the next couple of days. On the forecast track, Otto is expected to approach the coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua on Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is expected for the next couple of days until landfall.
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Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 10 miles (20 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles (110 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 984 mb
The center says Nicaragua, Costa Rica and some islands in the southwest Caribbean should monitor the storm's progress though no coastal watches or warnings are currently in effect.
At this point, it is little concern to Florida and has no chance to head our way.
Environmental conditions are conducive for development.
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Costa Rica/Panama border to south of Bluefields
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Nargana to Colon
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* San Andres
* West of Colon to the Costa Rica/Panama border
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case during the day today.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Interests elsewhere in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Providencia Island should monitor the progress of Otto.
Since 1851, eight Atlantic named storms on record have formed in the Caribbean after November 15. No storms have developed in the Gulf of Mexico after November 10 with most forming in the Caribbean.
Some tropical cyclones are destructive late in the season. In the middle of November in 2005, Tropical Storm Gamma stalled just north of Nicaragua causing at least 37 fatalities in Honduras and Belize. Hurricane Lenny was also a November storm that reached Cat. 4 strength & caused 17 fatalities throughout the Caribbean and Colombia in 1999.