Tropical storm Arthur starts 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season by Louise Lear
Tropical storm Arthur yesterday became the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic Hurricane season, developing off the coast of Mexico. Forming a day before the start of the season, the weak tropical storm quickly made landfall over the Belize-Mexico border, packing winds of around 40mph (64kph).
The storm dumped rain as far south as Belize City, whilst hampering the surf conditions along the popular tourist island of Ambergis Caye, north east of Belize. The National Hurricane Centre said that within the next 24 hours Arthur could produce between 125-250mm (4.9-9.8 inches) of rainfall over parts of Belize and Guatemala.
As of Sunday morning the storm has weakened into a tropical depression and is currently moving west. Despite the small chance of Arthur strengthening back into a storm, forecasters say it is not likely to neither make hurricane status nor threaten the US Gulf coast.