A tropical depression in the western Caribbean Sea could become Tropical Storm Sara as soon as today, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Depression 19 had winds of 35 mph as of Thursday morning. Forecasters expect the storm to strengthen and become Tropical Storm Sara later today, and there’s a chance it could even make a run at becoming a hurricane.

The hurricane center said the storm could be near hurricane strength (winds of 74 mph and higher) when it moves near the eastern coast of Honduras on Friday and Saturday, and hurricane watches remain in effect there.

The potential Sara could bring 20 to even 30 inches of rain to parts of Central America from now though the weekend, which could cause serious flash flooding and mudslides, according to forecasters.

It’s too soon to say if the storm will affect the U.S., but its long-range forecast track will be watched very closely by those in Florida.

“It is too soon to determine what impacts the system could bring to portions of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, including Florida, the Florida Keys, and Cuba during the middle portion of next week,” the hurricane center said Thursday. “Residents in these areas should regularly monitor updates to the forecast.”

The hurricane center’s track shows the storm meandering in the western Caribbean very close to the coast of Honduras over the weekend, then heading northward and across Belize and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

It could emerge into the southern Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday or Wednesday.

As of 6 a.m. CST Thursday, the center of Tropical Depression 19 was located about 250 miles east of Isla Guanaja, Honduras, and was moving to the west at 15 mph.

The depression had winds of 35 mph. It needs winds of at least 39 mph to become Tropical Storm Sara. That could happen later today, the hurricane center said.

If the center of the storm stays over water it has the potential to strengthen more, and a hurricane watch remains in effect for parts of Honduras.

The big concern with the storm is the amount of rain it could bring to Central America. The hurricane center said 10 to 20 inches of rain with isolated totals of around 30 inches area expected over northern Honduras through next week.

“This rainfall will lead to widespread areas of life-threatening and potentially catastrophic flash flooding and mudslides, especially along and near the Sierra La Esperanza,” the hurricane center said.

Other areas, including the rest of Honduras, Belize, El Salvador, eastern Guatemala and western Nicaragua could get 5 to 10 inches of rain with localized totals around 15 inches through early next week.

* A Hurricane Watch is in effect from Punta Castilla to the Honduras/Nicaragua Border and the Bay Islands of Honduras.

* A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from Punta Sal to the Honduras/Nicaragua Border and the Bay Islands of Honduras.

* A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the Honduras/Nicaragua Border to Puerto Cabezas.

There are no other systems being watched for development by the hurricane center as of Thursday. The Atlantic hurricane season will come to an end on Nov. 30.