Tropical Storm Sara warning for Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala issued with 38cm rain possible

Tropical Storm Sara is on the brink of making landfall in Belize today (Sunday, November 17), with forecasters warning that heavy rainfall could trigger life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

The storm's centre is predicted to hit Belize late morning or around midday, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

This follows Sara drenching the northern coast of Honduras, where it has been stationary since Friday, November 15, causing rivers to overflow and leaving some residents trapped in their homes.

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As of Sunday, the Hurricane Center's tropical storm warning encompasses Honduras' Bay Islands, the country's northern coast from Punta Castilla to its border with Guatemala, the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, Belize's coast and extends northwards into Mexico's state of Quintana Roo, from Chetumal to Puerto Costa Maya.

The storm could unleash up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain across the region, with localised totals reaching 15 inches (38 cm), through early next week.

These conditions "will result in areas of flash flooding, perhaps significant, along with the potential of mudslides," warns the Hurricane Center.

"A storm surge could raise water levels by as much as 1 to 3 feet above ground level near and to the north of where the center of Sara crosses the coast of Belize," the center announced on Sunday. "Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves."