The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States confirmed on Monday that the tropical depression located in the Central American Pacific has officially strengthened into Tropical Storm Cristina.

While the core of the storm tracks along the neighboring coastlines, its indirect effects are already generating significant rainfall across Costa Rica and the region.

According to the latest meteorological data, the system is currently located approximately 160 kilometers west of Managua, Nicaragua, and is packing maximum sustained winds of about 75 kilometers per hour (km/h).

Projected Path and Heavy Rainfall Forecast

Weather forecasts indicate that Tropical Storm Cristina will continue to move near the coasts of Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador through Tuesday.

As a result of this atmospheric system, meteorologists estimate massive rainfall accumulations. Coastal sectors of Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala could see up to 304 millimeters of total rainfall accumulation between Monday and Thursday.

Impact and Emergency Alerts in Costa Rica

Although Cristina is steadily advancing northward, its tail effects will continue to pull moisture into the southern parts of the Central American isthmus. The National Meteorological Institute (IMN) of Costa Rica foresees that the rainy conditions will persist across the country at least until Tuesday.

In response to the ongoing risk of flooding and saturated soils, the National Emergencies Commission (CNE) has updated its public safety alerts:

• 🟡 Yellow Alert: Maintained for the entire Pacific region and the Central Valley due to higher risk of persistent downpours.
• 🟢 Green Alert: Maintained for the Northern Zone and the Caribbean region as a preventive measure.

Local authorities urge residents living near riverbanks or landslide-prone areas to remain highly vigilant and monitor official updates as the storm progresses.

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