Belize issues tropical storm warning for part of the coast
Matthew moves inland over Honduras
Miami, Florida (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Matthew was battering the northern coast of Honduras with heavy rains and winds early Saturday, bringing with it a threat of flash floods and mudslides, forecasters said.
As of 5 a.m. ET, the weather system was centered about 35 miles (55 km) east-southeast of La Ceiba, Honduras, and was heading west-northwest at 16 mph (26 kph). Its maximum sustained winds were at 50 mph (85 kph), according to the Miami, Florida-based National Hurricane Center said.
The government of Belize has issued a tropical storm warning for the coast of Belize from Belize City southward, the center said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for the coast of Honduras, including offshore islands.
The weather system could dump between 6 and 10 inches of rain over portions of Honduras, Belize and Guatemala, with up to 15 inches falling in isolated areas, forecasters said. Those treacherous rain could also trigger mudslides.
Track-prediction maps indicate that Matthew, the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, will continue to move across northern Honduras Friday night and Saturday, and approach the coast of Belize late Saturday.
Forecasters say the storm could weaken and become a broad area of low pressure by Sunday.
Meanwhile, as of 5 a.m. ET, the center of Hurricane Lisa was about 470 miles (760 km) northwest of the Cape Verde Islands and was heading north in the Atlantic Ocean. The Category 1 hurricane's maximum sustained winds had weakened to 75 mph (120 kph)
There were no watches or warnings in effect associated with Lisa. The cyclone is likely to steadily weaken to become a tropical storm later Saturday, the center said.
