A late-season tropical system swirling over the Caribbean Sea has become better organized and strengthened into Tropical Storm Sara on Thursday, and forecasters fear that the storm could unleash life-threatening and potentially catastrophic impacts in Central America,

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Tropical Storm Sara formed near Honduras on Thursday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center. According to the NHC’s 1 p.m. update, the system was moving west at 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

Sara has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as of early Friday morning, and further strengthening is possible in the coming days if the storm center largely stays offshore from Hon