Hurricane Julia makes landfall in Nicaragua as a Category 1 storm

By Gene Norman and Zoe Sottile, CNN

Hurricane Julia made landfall in Nicaragua early Sunday as a Category 1 storm, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm had sustained winds of 85 mph when it moved onshore near Laguna de Perlas around 1:15 a.m., the center said.

Along with hurricane-force winds, life-threatening rainfall of 6 to 10 inches, with isolated amounts of up to 15 inches, is possible in Nicaragua, forecasters said.

“Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides possible from heavy rains over Central America and Southern Mexico through early next week,” the hurricane center said in its 2 a.m. ET update.

Storm surge of up to four feet above normal tide levels is possible along San Andres and Providencia islands. Storm surge of up to six feet and large, damaging waves were expected along the coast of Nicaragua.

After moving across Nicaragua Sunday, the storm is expected to approach the Pacific coasts of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala Monday and Monday night.

“Julia is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression on Monday and dissipate by Monday night or Tuesday,” the NHC said.

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