Tropical Storm Otto to strengthen back into hurricane before landfall

Tropical Storm Otto, how a full blown Hurricane, has caused four deaths in Panama and widespread damage from floods landslides and falling trees brought on by heavy rains and high winds.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, at 400 pm EST on Monday, the centre of Tropical Storm Otto was almost stationary, and a generally westward drift is expected over the next couple of days.

A hurricane warning was in effect for Limon, Costa Rica, to Bluefields, Nicaragua.

Late-season Hurricane Otto is crawling westward toward Central America’s Caribbean coast with little change in strength.

Forecasters say Otto has gained hurricane status in the Caribbean as it edges closer to parts of Central America.

If Otto becomes a hurricane, that would be even more rare on a couple of fronts.

When Otto makes landfall Thursday, its biggest threat will be heavy rain and the resulting mudslides.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the westward-moving storm had weakened slightly overnight down to tropical storm status, with winds of 70 miles per hour (110 kph).

The paper says that very few hurricanes have formed so late in the season – which ends on 30 November – and that across the Atlantic since 1851 only 35 storms have reached tropical storm intensity on or after 15 November.

The U.S. -based National Hurricane Center said flash floods, rip tides and unsafe surf could be an issue along much of the east coast of Central America, with Panama also at risk. With it being so chilly, a tropical storm may be the last thing on your mind, right? The country of Panama, which has also never been directly struck by a tropical system is under a tropical storm watch.

Otto could be the first hurricane landfall in 174 years of records in Costa Rica. These factors suggest Otto could regain strength overnight or into Thursday.

Those planning to travel to Costa Rica or nearby areas during the U.S. Thanksgiving long weekend should stay tuned for further updates on the storm development and on air travel information in and out of the region.