Tropical Storm Karl strengthens further as it approaches Mexico

Tropical Storm Karl has strengthened even further as it approaches the coast of southeastern Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.

The center issued a special advisory Wednesday afternoon to update Karl’s initial intensity after an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter observed wind speeds greater than anticipated. The storm is still expected to gradually weaken as it approaches the southeastern coast of Mexico.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Karl was 240 miles north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico. It was moving north near 2 mph with sustained winds of 60 mph, much stronger than 40 mph earlier Wednesday. Tropical-storm-force winds extend 115 miles from the center.

A tropical storm watch was in place Wednesday from Tuxpan to Frontera in southeastern Mexico.

The storm’s track has shifted east “significantly” from the previous forecast, forecasters said.

[ STAY UPDATED with the latest forecast for tropical weather at SunSentinel.com/hurricane ]

“The model guidance has continued to shift eastward and shows Karl making the hairpin turn to the right, instead of left as shown in earlier cycles,” the center said Wednesday.

Karl will not move much over Wednesday night but will slowly move to the south-southeast by Thursday morning and move faster south by late Thursday, the center’s latest advisory said. Karl will be near the coast of Mexico on Friday.

Karl is then forecast to rapidly decline once moving over the mountainous land.

Karl is the 11th named storm this hurricane season, a season that started off with Tropical Storm Alex forming just days after the June 1 start, and storms Bonnie and Colin followed in early July.

[ PAST COVERAGE: NOAA updates 2022 Atlantic hurricane outlook, still above-average heading into peak season ]

This season became the first in over two decades where there were no named storms in August, but September was a busy month with six named storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted there will be a total of 14 to 20 named storms and six to 10 hurricanes. Three to five of those hurricanes will be at least a Category 3, the agency’s prediction in August said.

Hurricane Ian made landfall near Fort Myers on Sept. 28, at Category 4 strength, fulfilling one of the agency’s predictions. At least 102 people in Florida died during Hurricane Ian.

Ian was the third-deadliest storm to come to the mainland of the United States this century after Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy.

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

Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.