1. Life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding is expectedthrough Thursday across portions of Central America due to heavyrainfall from Iota. Flooding and mudslides across portions ofHonduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala could be exacerbated by saturatedsoils in place, resulting in significant to potentially catastrophicimpacts.

2. Tropical-storm conditions, primarily close to the center ofIota and along the coast of Honduras, are still expected for thenext few hours.

CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
- The coast of Honduras west of Punta Castilla to the Honduras/Guatemala border
- Bay Islands

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by your national meteorological service.

Key messages for Iota can be found in the Tropical Cyclone Discussion under AWIPS header MIATCDAT1, WMO header WTNT41 KNHC and on the web at www.hurricanes.gov/text/MIATCDAT1.shtml.

WIND: Tropicalstorm conditions will continue for a couple of more hours well to the north of the center along the Caribbean coast of northwestern Honduras.

RAINFALL: Iota is expected to produce the following additional rainfall accumulations through Thursday:

El Salvador, Panama, western Honduras, northern Nicaragua, southern Belize : 4 to 8 inches (100 to 200 mm), with isolated maximum totals of 12 inches (300 mm).

This rainfall will lead to significant, lifethreatening flash flooding and river flooding, along with mudslides in areas of higher terrain.

Southern Nicaragua and Costa Rica: 3 to 5 inches (75 to 125 mm), with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches (250 mm).

SURF: Swells generated by Iota will affect much of the coast of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula during the next day or so. These swells are likely to cause lifethreatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

At 1200 AM CST (0600 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Iota was located near latitude 13.7 North, longitude 87.8 West. Iota is moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h), and a westward to westsouthwestward motion is expected through today. On the forecast track, the center of Iota will move across portions of southern Honduras and El Salvador before the system dissipates later today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Rapid weakening is forecast, and Iota should weaken to a tropical depression later this morning and degenerate into a remnant low pressure area by this afternoon.

Tropicalstormforce winds extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km) from the center, mainly along the coast in the Tropical Storm Warning area. Recent satellitederived wind data indicate that tropicalstormforce wind gusts are still occurring along the northwestern coast of Honduras.

The estimated minimum central pressure based on nearby surface observations is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).

Most of the deep convection associated with Iota has weakenedduring the past several hours, with the primary remainingconvection now in a band well removed from the center in thenorthwestern semicircle. The initial intensity is reduced to 35kt, and these winds are possibly occuring in two areas - a smallarea near what is left of the inner core and along the coast ofHonduras in the Tropical Storm warning area. Iota should continueto quickly weaken, with the system expected to drop belowtropical-storm strength during the next few hours and to dissipatecompletely between 12-24 h. At this time, the available guidanceis not bullish on any regeneration of the system over the Pacific.

The initial motion is 270/10. The cyclone or its remnants shouldmove westward to west-southwestward before dissipation occurs.

Iota is still expected to produce very serious hazards while it isover central America, including flash flooding and mud slides,These hazards could result in potentially catastrophic effects,especially when compounded upon Hurricane Eta's destruction from acouple of weeks ago.