MIAMI , Florida ( CNN ) -- Tropical Storm Arthur , the first named storm of the 2008 Atlantic season , formed Saturday near the coast of Belize , the U.S. National Hurricane Center said . Tropical Storm Arthur could make its way across the Yucatan and re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico . The storm made its way over land and was expected to weaken , but the center said the storm could re-emerge in the Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity Sunday . At 11 p.m. , the center of Arthur was over the southern Yucatan Peninsula , about 80 miles ( 125 km ) west of Chetumal , Mexico , and about 120 miles ( 195 km ) south-southeast of Campeche , Mexico . It was moving west at about 7 miles ( 11 km ) per hour . The storm 's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph ( 65 km/hr ) , with higher gusts , mainly over water east of its center . Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 260 miles ( 415 km ) from the center of the storm , forecasters said . The government of Belize issued a tropical storm warning for the nation 's coast , and the government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning from Cabo Catoche south to the border with Belize . A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area -- in this case , within the next six to 12 hours . The storm was forecast to dump up to 10 inches of rain over Belize , up to 15 inches in isolated areas , the hurricane center said . The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday . On Thursday , Tropical Storm Alma , the first one of the year in the eastern Pacific , formed near the west coast of Central America , according to the National Weather Service . The storm was downgraded to a tropical depression and dissipated over the high terrain of Central America . The federal government 's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted this month that the Atlantic season would be more active than normal , with up to 16 named storms and up to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or above . The noted Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team predicted this year that there would be 15 named storms , eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes . The team calculated a 69 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the U.S. coast . A survey released this week found that 50 percent of 1,100 adults surveyed in Atlantic and U.S. Gulf Coast states did not have disaster plans or survival kits . `` Nearly one in three said they would not prepare their home until a storm is within 24 hours of landfall , '' Bill Read , director of the National Hurricane Center , said Thursday . `` Now is the time to buy all that stuff , '' he said upon the release of the survey by polling firm Mason-Dixon .
NEW : Storm could re - emerge into Gulf of Mexico and regain intensity . Storm 's maximum sustained winds near 40 mph . Storm expected to dump up to 10 to 12 inches of rain over Belize . Atlantic hurricane season begins Sunday .