Two tropical storms formed Tuesday: Nana near Jamaica with a path toward Central America and Omar near North Carolina with a seaward track. The National Hurricane Center is also tracking two waves in the Atlantic basin.
As of the 5 p.m. update, the hurricane center announced that the tropical depression east of North Carolina had strengthened into Tropical Storm Omar, the 15th named storm of the season. Forecasters said it will stay out at sea and dissolve by the end of the week.
As of the 8 p.m. advisory, Tropical Storm Nana was about 370 miles east-northeast of Limon, Honduras, on Tuesday afternoon with 50 mph maximum winds.
Forecasters said it could become a hurricane by Thursday morning before it makes landfall in Belize, where it could bring 3 to 5 feet of storm surge and 3 to 6 inches of rain.
A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning were issued for the entire coast of Belize. A tropical storm warning was also issued for Yucatan, Mexico, from Puerto Costa Maya to Chetumal.
Tropical storm watches were issued for the northern coast of Honduras from Punta Patuca westward to the Guatemalan border, Roatan Island and the Bay Islands of Honduras, and the Caribbean Sea coast of Guatemala.
The hurricane center is also tracking a tropical wave that has yet to emerge off the coast of Africa.
Forecasters upped its chances of forming into a tropical depression within the week to 60%. When it does enter the Atlantic, "gradual development" is possible as it moves west, the 8 p.m. advisory said.
Another disturbance appeared Tuesday afternoon about midway between the Windward Islands and West Africa.
It is causing showers and thunderstorms and is forecast to see some development as it "meanders in the central tropical Atlantic Ocean," the NHC says.
It has a 20% chance of forming in the next two days and a 30% chance of forming within the week.
