By Kristina Pydynowski & Alex Sosnowski From Accuweather

Tropical Storm Franklin formed over the western Caribbean Sea on Sunday and threatens to strike Mexico twice this week.

The combination of very warm water and diminishing wind shear will allow Franklin to strengthen before reaching the Yucatan Peninsula later on Monday (7).

Wind shear is the changing of speed and direction of winds at different layers of the atmosphere. Strong wind shear can prevent tropical development or shred apart mature tropical storms or hurricanes.

As a result, Franklin may strengthen rapidly into early Monday night.

“Franklin could be close to hurricane strength when it makes landfall over the southeastern Yucatan Peninsula later Monday night,” according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

People on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula should hurry preparations due to a direct hit from a tropical system near hurricane strength during Monday night. A hurricane has sustained winds of 74 mph or greater with higher gusts.

Franklin will first affect Honduras and Nicaragua, then Belize, southeastern Mexico and northern Guatemala.

Downpours and gusty thunderstorms will ramp up and spread westward, while seas and surf build in the region.

“Mudslides could get triggered in the higher terrain of Central America,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister said.

The worst of the storm will pass southeast of the Cayman Islands. However, rough seas will occur around the islands into Monday night.

The risk for flooding rain, damaging winds and rough seas across Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and neighboring Belize will increase as Franklin strengthens and approaches later Monday and Monday night.

Life-threatening flooding and damaging winds can occur as the storm crosses the Yucatan Peninsula late Monday night and Tuesday.

“Franklin will bring flooding rainfall with totals of 4-8 inches in some locations, along with damaging wind gusts of 40-60 mph to the Yucatan Peninsula,” according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Brown.

For more on this story and video go to: https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/budding-atlantic-tropical-storm-to-threaten-mexico-this-week/70002388