Tropical Storm Cristina Forms Off Nicaragua

Tropical Storm Cristina has formed in the eastern Pacific Ocean off the coast of Nicaragua, becoming the first tropical threat to Central America during the 2026 hurricane season.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC), Cristina strengthened from Tropical Depression Three-E on Monday afternoon and was located approximately 105 miles west-northwest of Managua, Nicaragua. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour and moving slowly northeast at about 3 miles per hour.

A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Pacific coast from Puerto Sandino in Nicaragua to the Guatemala–El Salvador border. Authorities in both Nicaragua and El Salvador are monitoring the system closely as it is expected to linger near the Central American coastline for several days.

Forecasters say Cristina’s greatest threat will be heavy rainfall capable of producing life-threatening flash flooding and landslides across parts of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala through midweek.

The NHC forecasts widespread rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches, with isolated areas receiving as much as 12 inches. Low-lying and mountainous communities are considered particularly vulnerable to flooding and mudslides.

While Cristina is expected to gradually weaken by the middle of the week, meteorologists warn that its slow movement could prolong rainfall across the region.

Cristina is the second named storm of the eastern Pacific season. It follows Tropical Storm Boris, which formed off Mexico’s Pacific coast before making landfall and dissipating over southern Mexico on Tuesday.