Tropical Storm Sara

{{Storm path|Sara 2024 path.png|colors=new|align=left}}

On November 11, an area of low-pressure merged with a tropical wave over the southwest Caribbean Sea.{{Cite web |last=Kelly |first=Larry A. |date=2025-02-19 |title=Tropical Storm Sara Tropical Cyclone Report |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL192024_Sara.pdf |access-date=2025-02-20 |website=National Hurricane Center |publication-place=Miami, Florida}} The system moved generally westward toward Central America into the next day, and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the high possibility of further organization due to favorable environmental conditions.{{cite report|last=Kelly|first=Larry|url= https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/xgtwo/gtwo_archive.php?current_issuance=two_atl_7d0.png&basin=atl&fdays=7|title=Tropical Weather Outlook|date=13 November 2024|publisher=National Hurricane Center|location=Miami, Florida|access-date=13 November 2024}} Due to the system becoming expected to produce tropical storm or hurricane conditions, the NHC, with the Honduran and Nicaraguan governments, designated the system as a potential tropical cyclone and issued the respective watches and warnings on November 13. The system progressed westward, increasing in organization. By 06:00 UTC November 14, the system had a well-defined core, becoming designated as Tropical Depression Nineteen.{{cite news|title=Tropical Depression Nineteen forms in the Caribbean; expected to become tropical storm today|first=Ashley|last=Suter|date=14 November 2024|url=https://www.wfla.com/weather/tracking-the-tropics/tropical-depression-nineteen-forms-in-the-caribbean-expected-to-become-tropical-storm-today/|publisher=WFLA|location=Tampa Bay, Florida|access-date=14 November 2024}} Data from Hurricane Hunters indicated that the system had become a tropical storm, Sara, by 12:00 UTC November 14. Being steered by a large ridge in the Southeastern United States, Sara continued moving westward. It also continued to intensify over the warm Caribbean Sea. Sara made its first landfall near Punta Patuca, Honduras, at 01:20 UTC on November 15 with {{Convert|45|mph|km/h}} winds.

Sara would then pull off of Honduras, reforming its core in the process. It would reach a peak strength of {{Convert|50|mph|km/h}} at 12:00 UTC on November 15. Sara began moving westward before falling stationary over the Bay Islands on November 16. Later that day, it moved away from the Bay Islands into the Gulf of Honduras. Despite having stayed offshore, Sara remained a weak tropical storm with winds of {{cvt|40|kn|mph km/h|order=out|round=5}} due to the interaction between its broader circulation and the mountainous terrain of northern Honduras, and was struggling to produce deep convection and began degrading.{{Cite report|last=Papin|first=Philippe|title=Tropical Storm Sara Discussion Number 13|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/al19/al192024.discus.013.shtml?|date=16 November 2024|publisher=National Hurricane Center|location=Miami, Florida|access-date=16 November 2024}} Sara made landfall in Belize at around 14:00 UTC on November 17, near Dangriga, with sustained winds of {{cvt|35|kn|mph km/h|order=out|round=5}}. Just before landfall, the storm underwent a burst of convection near the center, with bursting deep convection and lightning flashes.{{Cite report |last=Papin |first=Philippe |date=17 November 2024 |title=Tropical Storm Sara Discussion Number 16 |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/al19/al192024.discus.016.shtml? |publisher=National Hurricane Center |location=Miami, Florida |access-date=17 November 2024}} Subsequent land interaction caused Sara to weaken. Its low level circulation dissipated on the Guatemala–Mexico border on November 18. Upper-level remnants of Sara moved into the Bay of Campeche where it would then merge with a frontal system over the Southeast United States.

On November 13, the governments of Honduras and Nicaragua issued hurricane watches and tropical storm warnings for the northeastern coast of Honduras from Punta Castilla to the Honduras–Nicaragua border and the northeastern coast of Nicaragua from the Honduras–Nicaragua border to Puerto Cabezas, respectively.{{Cite report |url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/al19/al192024.discus.001.shtml? |title=Potential Tropical Cyclone Nineteen Discussion Number 1 |last=Kelly |first=Larry |date=13 November 2024 |publisher=National Hurricane Center |location=Miami, Florida |access-date=13 November 2024}} Guatemala's Caribbean and Belize's entire coast was placed under a tropical storm warning on November 15.{{cite news |last=Castillo |first=Moisés |date=15 November 2024 |title=Belize issues warnings as Tropical Storm Sara scrapes along Honduran coast, bringing heavy rain |url=https://apnews.com/article/tropical-storm-sara-1285618560ac8706a6b7735d7656bf15 |access-date=15 November 2024 |publisher=AP News}}{{Cite web |last=Bridges |first=C. A. |title=National Hurricane Center tracking Tropical Storm Sara, will Florida be affected? |url=https://www.thedestinlog.com/story/weather/hurricane/2024/11/15/tracker-tropical-storm-sara-central-america-national-hurricane-center-florida/76326860007/ |access-date=15 November 2024 |website=The DestinLog.com}} Additionally, the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning for the Quintana Roo coast from Puerto Costa Maya southward to Chetumal.{{Cite report|last=Kelly|first=Larry|title=Tropical Storm Sara Advisory Number 9|url=https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/al19/al192024.public.009.shtml?|date=15 November 2024|publisher=National Hurricane Center|location=Miami, Florida|access-date=21 November 2024}} The Eastern Slopes of the Maya Mountains were placed under landslide warning.

President of Honduras Xiomara Castro declared a state of emergency for the nation. Six departments in Honduras were placed under red warning and four under yellow.{{Cite web |last= |date=16 November 2024 |title=Cortés, en alerta roja por los estragos de la tormenta Sara en Honduras |trans-title=Cortés, in red alert for the ravages of Storm Sara in Honduras |url=https://www.laprensa.hn/honduras/copeco-eleva-alerta-roja-cortes-lluvias-tormenta-sara-honduras-EH22706640 |access-date=16 November 2024 |website=La Prensa |place=San Pedro Sula |language=es-HN}}{{Cite web |last=Benitez |first=Kevin |date=16 November 2024 |title=Elevan a alerta roja un departamento más del norte del país |url=https://tiempo.hn/elevan-a-alerta-roja-un-departamento-mas-2/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=Tiempo |language=es}} Golosón and Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airports in Honduras were closed.{{Cite news |last= |title=Cierran dos aeropuertos por fuertes lluvias: ¿Cuáles están operando? |url=https://www.elheraldo.hn/honduras/cierran-dos-aeropuertos-fuertes-lluvias-cuales-estan-operando-MA22662439 |access-date=15 November 2024 |newspaper=El Heraldo |language=es-HN}} American and United Airlines waived some fees related to flight rescheduling.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2024 |title=Tropical Storm Sara to cause flooding across Central America |url=https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2024/11/tropical-storm-sara-to-cause-flooding-across-central-america/ |access-date=18 November 2024 |website=The Yucatan Times |language=en-US}} Over 8,000 Hondurans moved to shelters and 15,000 evacuated as a result of Sara.

The government of Belize's National Emergency Management Organization activated its district committees.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2024 |title=Tropical Storm Warning Extended to Entire Belize Coast |url=https://lovefm.com/tropical-storm-warning-extended-to-entire-belize-coast/ |access-date=16 November 2024 |website=Love FM Belize |language=en-US}} The Ministry of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology canceled classes for November 18.{{Cite web |date=17 November 2024 |title=Belize: All-clear given as TS Sara weakens after making landfall |url=https://caribbean.loopnews.com/content/belize-all-clear-given-ts-sara-weakens-after-making-landfall |access-date=1 December 2024 |website=Loop Caribbean News |language=en}} Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport was closed.{{Cite web |date=16 November 2024 |title=Tropical Storm Sara approaches Belize; heavy rainfall registered on the Cayes |url=https://www.sanpedrosun.com/weather/2024/11/16/tropical-storm-sara-approaches-belize-heavy-rainfall-registered-on-the-cayes/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=San Pedro Sun}} From Middle Caye, 650 people left for the mainland. Public transportation in San Pedro Town was suspended.

In Mexico, the government rushed to repair buildings that lost their roofs due to strong winds earlier in the week.{{Cite web |date=17 November 2024 |title=Extensive bands of Tropical Storm Sara soaks coast |url=https://riviera-maya-news.com/extensive-bands-of-tropical-storm-sara-soaks-coast/2024.html |access-date=18 November 2024 |website=Riviera Maya News }}

The nascent disturbance caused flooding in the Dominican Republic, resulting in the evacuation of 1,767 people, isolating 54 communities, destroying two homes and damaging 487 more. Two fishermen were left missing and were later found dead near Sabana de la Mar.{{cite news|title=Lluvias dejan más de 50 comunidades incomunicadas|trans-title=Rains leave more than 50 communities isolated|url=https://eldia.com.do/lluvias-dejan-mas-de-50-comunidades-incomunicadas/|date=13 November 2024|access-date=14 November 2024|newspaper=El Día|language=es}} Floods also affected southern Haiti, killing one person, leaving two missing and damaging 3,554 houses in Sud Department.{{cite web|title=Haiti - Floods (UN OCHA, NOAA-CPC) (ECHO Daily Flash of 18 November 2024)|url=https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-floods-un-ocha-noaa-cpc-echo-daily-flash-18-november-2024|date=18 November 2024|access-date=18 November 2024|publisher=ReliefWeb|author=}}

Two people were killed in Nicaragua; one in San Francisco de Cuapa and another in Estelí. Over 1,800 houses and six schools were flooded, of which three were destroyed, affecting 5,000 people.{{cite news|title=Tormenta Tropical Sara: Dos muertos y 1,600 familias afectadas en Nicaragua, reporta SINAPRED|url=https://100noticias.com.ni/nacionales/135472-tormenta-sara-muertos-familias-afectadas-nicaragua/|date=18 November 2024|access-date=18 November 2024|website=100noticias.com.ni}}{{Cite web |date=16 November 2024 |title=Un desaparecido, un herido y más de 2000 afectados por tormenta Sara en Nicaragua |trans-title=One missing, one injured and more than 2000 affected by storm Sara in Nicaragua |url=https://confidencial.digital/nacion/tormenta-tropical-sara-causara-fuertes-lluvias-en-nicaragua/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=Confidencial |language=es}}

Over 251 communities were isolated in Honduras.{{Cite web |date=17 November 2024 |title=Tropical Depression Sara drenches Honduras and closes airports, at least one dead |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/tropical-depression-sara-drenches-honduras-closes-airports-least-one-dead-2024-11-17/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=Reuters}} Some areas in the nation saw {{cvt|19.7|in|mm}} of rain. Nine bridges were destroyed due to Sara, and many more were damaged.{{Cite news |last=Buschschlüter |first=Vanessa |date=18 November 2024 |title=Storm Sara: Hundreds of Honduran villages cut off by rain |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly0jzekw84o |access-date=19 November 2024 |publisher=BBC }} Saopin bridge in La Ceiba collapsed due to flooding in the Cangrejal River.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2024 |title=Aguaceros Generados Por Sara Colapsan Puente En Honduras |trans-title=Sara-Generated Showers Collapse Bridge In Honduras |url=https://tribunacampeche.com/15/aguaceros-generados-por-sara-colapsan-puente-en-honduras-2/699267/ |access-date=16 November 2024 |website=Tribuna Campeche |language=es}} A pedestrian bridge on the Bermejo River collapsed in San Pedro Sula.{{Cite web |last= |date=16 November 2024 |title=Crecida del río Bermejo arrasa con puente peatonal en la Flor de Cuba de SPS |trans-title=Cresting of the River Bermejo sweeps with a pedestrian bridge in the Flor de Cuba de SPS |url=https://www.laprensa.hn/sanpedro/honduras-tormenta-sara-crecida-rio-bermejo-arrasa-puente-peatonal-colonia-flor-de-cuba-san-pedro-sula-DH22703330 |access-date=16 November 2024 |website=La Prensa |language=es-HN}} In total, eleven bridges were destroyed and 31 damaged as a result of Sara. The Ulúa and Chamelecón Rivers swelled up, approaching populated areas.{{Cite web |title=Un muerto y más de 47.000 personas afectadas por la tormenta tropical Sara en Honduras |trans-title=One dead and at least 47,000 people affected by Tropical Storm Sara in Honduras |url=https://www.latribuna.hn/2024/11/16/un-muerto-y-mas-de-47-000-personas-afectadas-por-la-tormenta-tropical-sara-en-honduras/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=La Tribuna|date=16 November 2024 }} Three people were rescued in Gracias a Dios Department.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=17 November 2024 |title=Tropical Storm Sara Causes Severe Flooding in Honduras and Costa Rica |url=https://ticotimes.net/2024/11/16/tropical-storm-sara-causes-severe-flooding-in-honduras-and-costa-rica |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=The Tico Times |language=en-US}} A man drowned in the department of Yoro.{{cite news |date=16 November 2024 |title=Un Muerto Y Más De 47 Mil Personas Afectadas Por Tormenta Sara En Honduras; Seguirán Lluvia Oleaje Alto |trans-title=One Dead And More Than 47,000 People Affected By Storm Sara In Honduras; Rains And High Waves Will Continue |url=https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/mundo/un-muerto-y-mas-de-47-mil-personas-afectadas-por-tormenta-sara-en-honduras-seguiran-lluvias-y-oleaje-alto/ |access-date=16 November 2024 |publisher=El Universal |agency=EFE}} A traffic accident occurred in Santa Cruz de Yojoa, killing another person.{{Cite news |date=16 November 2024 |title=Accidente de tránsito en Santa Cruz de Yojoa deja un muerto y una herida |trans-title=Transit accident in Santa Cruz de Yojoa has one dead and another injured |url=https://www.latribuna.hn/2024/11/16/accidente-de-transito-en-santa-cruz-de-yojoa-deja-un-muerto-y-una-herida/ |access-date=16 November 2024 |newspaper=La Tribuna |language=es}} Across the country, 427 houses were destroyed and 4,440 others were damaged. Over 2,000 rescues were made in the nation.{{Cite web |last=Yablonski |first=Steven |date=12 November 2024 |title=Sara dissipates after producing deadly flooding, mudslides across Central America |url=https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/tropical-storm-sara-forecast-florida-us |access-date=26 November 2024 |website=FOX Weather |language=en-US}} In total, six people were killed as a result of drowning, and one person were declared missing.{{Cite web |last= |title=Los seis hondureños víctimas de la tormenta Sara |url=https://www.laprensa.hn/honduras/tormentasara-muertos-lluvias-tragedia-FO22795426 |access-date=23 November 2024 |website=La Prensa |language=es-HN}} Damage in agriculture and infrastructure amounted to 3.49 billion lempiras (US$139 million).{{cite news|url=https://www.tudiaaldia.com/post/sit-sara-caus%C3%B3-estragos-de-casi-l-500-millones-en-infraestructura-vial|title=SIT: Sara causó estragos de casi L. 500 millones en infraestructura vial|work=Tu Día Al Día|date=18 November 2024|access-date=19 November 2024|language=Spanish}}{{cite news|last=Figueroa|first=Sophia|url=https://tiempo.hn/perdidas-por-tormenta-sara-en-honduras/|title=Honduras contabiliza más de L3 mil millones en pérdida por tormenta Sara|work=Diario Tiempo|date=23 January 2025|access-date=25 January 2025|language=Spanish}}

In Belize, Ambergris Caye saw flooding and beach erosion due to Sara. Downtown San Ignacio was inundated.{{Cite web |date=15 November 2024 |title=Cayo District Faces Flooding as Tropical Storm Sara Approaches |url=https://lovefm.com/cayo-district-faces-flooding-as-tropical-storm-sara-approaches/ |access-date=17 November 2024 |website=Love FM Belize |language=en-US}} Communities along the Mopan and Macal Rivers were acutely affected by Sara.{{Cite web |title=Tropical Storm Sara Brings Devastating Floods to Western Belize |url=https://lovefm.com/tropical-storm-sara-brings-devastating-floods-to-western-belize/ |access-date=20 November 2024 |website=Love FM Belize |language=en-US}} Dams began to overflow as well. Celebrations related to Garifuna Settlement Day were disrupted by Sara.{{Cite web |last=Cowo |first=Janelle |date=21 November 2024 |title=Island celebrations for Garifuna Settlement Day dampened by Tropical Storm Sara |url=https://www.sanpedrosun.com/arts-culture/2024/11/21/island-celebrations-for-garifuna-settlement-day-dampened-by-tropical-storm-sara/ |access-date=26 November 2024 |website=The San Pedro Sun }}

Over 1,000 homes were flooded in Guatemala as a result of 25 rivers overflowing.{{Cite news |date=19 November 2024 |title=Cuba expresses solidarity with Nicaragua, hit by Tropical Storm Sara |publisher=Prensa Latina |url=https://www.plenglish.com/news/2024/11/19/cuba-expresses-solidarity-with-nicaragua-hit-by-tropical-storm-sara/ |access-date=20 November 2024}} Access to potable water was disrupted across the country as well. Flooding also caused agricultural damage in El Salvador.{{cite news|title=Más de 100,000 afectados en Centroamérica por la tormenta Sara|url=https://eldiariony.com/2024/11/18/mas-de-100-000-afectados-en-centroamerica-por-sara/|date=18 November 2024|access-date=18 November 2024|newspaper=El Diario NY}}

In Chetumal, Sara caused major flooding and damage.{{Cite news |date=17 November 2024 |title=Flooding in Chetumal due to tropical storm Sara |newspaper=The Yucatan Times |url=https://www.theyucatantimes.com/2024/11/flooding-in-chetumal-due-to-tropical-storm-sara/ |access-date=18 November 2024 }} Strong winds tore roofs off of houses, some of which had been reinstalled by trucks prior to the storm's arrival. Garbage along the streets of Chetumal was piled up due to flooding as the sewers overflowed.{{Cite news |date=17 November 2024 |title=FUERTES LLUVIAS DEJAN SÓLO AFECTACIONES MENORES: Saldo blanco en Chetumal, tras paso de la tormenta tropical "Sara" |trans-title=HEAVY RAINS LEAVES ONLY MINOR IMPACT: Chetumal remains untouched after the passage of tropical storm "Sara" |url=https://noticaribe.com.mx/2024/11/17/fuertes-lluvias-dejan-solo-afectaciones-menores-saldo-blanco-en-chetumal-tras-paso-de-la-tormenta-tropical-sara/ |access-date=18 November 2024 |newspaper=Noticaribe |language=es}}

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• {{Commons category-inline|Tropical Storm Sara (2024)|Tropical Storm Sara}}
• The National Hurricane Center's [https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/2024/SARA.shtml? advisory archive] on Tropical Storm Sara

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