The National Hurricane Center upgraded Tropical Storm Julia to Hurricane Julia; it is forecast to smash into Central America this weekend, bringing potentially catastrophic, heavy flooding rains.

A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for portions of the Nicaragua coast and the islands of Providencia and San Andres. Hurricane-force winds and a dangerous storm surge are expected in areas where the core of the system crosses the islands this evening and moves onshore in Nicaragua tonight.

Life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides are expected across portions of Central America this weekend. Flash flooding is possible across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico early next week.

Julia is forecast to remain as a tropical storm while it moves across Central America to the adjacent Pacific waters, and tropical storm warnings are in effect along the Pacific coasts of Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador to account for the possibility of tropical-storm-force winds in those areas late Sunday and Sunday night.