It’s official. There’s a newly formed tropical storm (5th of the season) heading across the Caribbean. The current center of Tropical Storm Earl is a couple hundred miles south of Grand Cayman island. In time, it will continue westward in the direction of Belize. Earl is projected to get stronger over the next day and a half, with increasing winds not far from the hurricane threshold. A hurricane watch has been issued for Belize and much of Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. Concerns for the system (especially through midweek) include possible rain accumulations over 12 inches. That could result in serious flash floods and mud slides. Conditions will begin to deteriorate late Tuesday into Wednesday. Throughout the expected life cycle of Earl, it’s important to note, the tropical system will not be a threat to Florida or the United States. As the week continues we may see Earl make 2 separate landfalls. First, crossing Central America. Then, if it emerges over the southern Gulf of Mexico, it could make a second landfall along Mexico’s eastern coast, this weekend.