Tropical Storm Sara formed in the western Caribbean Sea and long-range forecasts show the possibility that the storm will turn to the northeast in the Gulf of Mexico and take a path toward Florida.

Satellite imagery can help determine the strength, size and cohesion of a storm. The stronger a storm becomes, the more likely an eye will form in the center. When the eye looks symmetrical, that often means the storm is not encountering anything to weaken it. Sara is the 18th named storm to form in the Atlantic in 2024.

Tropical Storm Sara has formed on a path toward Honduras and is expected to bring “life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides” to parts of the country, the National Hurricane Center warned.