CNN
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Hurricane Julia made landfall in Nicaragua early Sunday as a Category 1 storm, the National Hurricane Center said.
The storm came ashore near Laguna de Perlas around 1:15 a.m. with sustained winds of 85 mph. Center says.
With hurricane-strength winds, Nicaragua could see 6 to 10 inches of life-threatening rain, with up to 15 inches in isolation, forecasters said.
“Heavy rains in Central America and southern Mexico early next week could trigger life-threatening flash floods and mudslides,” the hurricane center said in an update at 2 a.m. ET.
Storm surge on San Andres and Providencia could be four feet above normal. Storm surges of up to six feet and huge damaging waves are expected off the coast of Nicaragua.
After passing through Nicaragua on Sunday, the storm is expected to approach the Pacific coast of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala on Monday and Monday night.
“Julia is expected to weaken to a tropical depression Monday and dissipate Monday night or Tuesday,” the NHC said.