Tropical Storm Nana threatening parts of Central America, Omar expected to weaken

Tropical Storm Omar formed off the U.S. East Coast on Tuesday as Tropical Storm Nana approached the coast of Central America, the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported.

Forecasters predict Nana will strengthen to a hurricane by the time it makes landfall Thursday and said people in Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula should closely monitor the storm's progress. Strong winds, a dangerous storm surge and very heavy rainfall causing flash flooding are likely.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft crew flew into Nana as it took shape south of Jamaica, recording maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h with higher gusts. Nana was moving west at 30 km/h on a path that could damage Central America on Wednesday and Thursday.

Nana and Omar are the earliest 14th and 15th named storms on record, beating the 2005 arrivals of Nate on Sept. 6 and Ophelia on Sept. 7, according to Colorado State University professor Phil Klotzbach.

The National Hurricane Center expects Tropical Storm Omar to be short-lived. The storm had maximum sustained winds 65 km/h Tuesday evening, with little change expected overnight. Omar was 365 kilometres east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and moving east-northeast at 25km/h. Forecasters predicted it will weaken Wednesday night.