Eye on the Tropics

Iota producing life-threatening flash floods in parts of Central America; another tropical wave coming

ORLANDO, Fla. — Iota made landfall late Monday night just south of Puerto Cabezas, Nicaragua as a category 4 hurricane. Extreme winds moved overnight across the same region where Eta moved two weeks ago.

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The system has moved through northern Nicaragua and Honduras producing flash floods, leaving many victims without homes and stranded under mudslides.

EL SALVADOR PREPARES FOR TORRENTIAL RAINS

Iota is now a tropical storm entering eastern El Salvador and will continue to cross the nation on Wednesday, possibly reaching San Salvador by 7 p.m. local time.

The forecast calls for rainfall between 4 to 8 inches of rain and isolated areas could get up to 12 inches of rain.

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As the storm moves over El Salvador, it will be losing its wind speed and likely becoming a tropical depression by Wednesday night.

THE RAINS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEK

Central America will continue to get heavy rains through Friday, especially over Guatemala, Belize and southern Mexico. Rainfall could still produce landslides and flash flooding.

READ: What do they mean? Disturbance, depressions, tropical, subtropical storms, hurricanes

ANOTHER TROPICAL WAVE BREWS OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN

We are monitoring the next tropical wave that will be entering the southwestern Caribbean. Over the weekend conditions could become more favorable for tropical development near Panama and northern Colombia.

Colombian and Panama have received heavy rains in the past few weeks and this tropical wave could produce more rains over already saturated areas, leading to flash floods and rivers overflowing.

We are monitoring the tropics closely and will bring you the latest on Eyewitness News, WFTV.com, and on our Free WFTV Weather app.

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