Tropical Storm Julia expected to strengthen into a hurricane. Here’s where it’s headed

Tropical Storm Julia is expected to strengthen into a hurricane in the southern Caribbean later in the day Saturday, National Hurricane Center forecasters said.

The storm formed Friday morning approaching the southern Caribbean, a path generally similar to the initial formation of Hurricane Ian.

But while Ian turned north toward the Gulf and then headed toward Florida’s Gulf coast, Julia poses a threat to areas of South and Central America.

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A Hurricane Warning is in effect for San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina Islands Colombia, and Nicaragua from Bluefields to Puerto Cabezas.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the entire Pacific coast of Nicaragua and the Pacific coast of Honduras.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the entire coast of El Salvador.

Julia is moving west near 21 mph, the hurricane center said in its 11 a.m. update. Additional strengthening is forecast, and the storm is expected to become a hurricane Saturday evening as it reaches San Andres and Providencia Islands and then the coast of Nicaragua on Sunday morning, forecasters said.

As of 11 a.m., Julia was located about 115 miles east-southeast of Isla De Providencia, Colombia. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from Julia’s center.

Julia is expected to weaken as its center moves inland over Nicaragua on Sunday, but it may still be at tropical storm strength as it moves near the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador Sunday night and Monday, then weaken rapidly Monday and dissipate Tuesday.

The next named storm to form would be Karl. Hurricane season ends Nov. 30.