- Tropical Storm Fiona will transfer by the northeastern Caribbean.
- It will produce flooding rain and powerful wind gusts in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
- Fiona may change into a hurricane when it’s close to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
- It’s far too quickly to inform if this method will ever change into a mainland U.S. menace.
Tropical Storm Fiona is producing flooding rainfall and powerful wind gusts within the northeastern Caribbean and it might strengthen right into a hurricane because it tracks close to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Here’s what we find out about Fiona’s threats to the Caribbean and what the storm may imply down the street for the mainland United States.
Latest Status And Forecast
Fiona’s heart has entered the northeastern Caribbean after passing over Guadeloupe. Tropical-storm-force situations will proceed within the northern Leeward islands Saturday morning.
The storm continues to battle some unfavorable upper-level winds (wind shear) and dry air.
The worst of the rain and gusty winds are occurring on the central Lesser Antilles now after the middle has handed as a result of many of the thunderstorm exercise is on the eastward facet of the system resulting from wind shear.
On this observe, Fiona will transfer close to or simply south of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend, then into Hispaniola Sunday evening or Monday. A barely extra favorable setting might enable for some intensification this weekend and Fiona may strengthen right into a hurricane because it tracks close to Puerto Rico and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti).
After that, uncertainty grows due to that attainable land interplay, however some intensification is predicted as soon as Fiona reaches the waters north of Hispaniola.
Projected Path
(The red-shaded space denotes the potential path of the middle of the tropical cyclone. It’s vital to notice that impacts (significantly heavy rain, excessive surf, coastal flooding, winds) with any tropical cyclone often unfold past its forecast path.)
Caribbean Threats
A hurricane watch has been issued for Puerto Rico, which means hurricane situations are attainable inside the subsequent 48 hours.
Tropical storm warnings are in impact for the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Guadeloupe, St. Barthelemy and St. Martin and for parts of the Dominican Republic. Tropical storm situations are anticipated within the warning space inside 36 hours.
Tropical storm watches have been issued for parts of the southern coast of the Dominican Republic. This signifies that tropical storm situations are attainable inside the subsequent 48 hours.
Areas from the Leeward Islands to Puerto Rico to japanese Hispaniola to the Turks and Caicos may see rain totals of 4 to 10 inches (domestically larger) from Fiona. That heavy rain may set off harmful flooding and mudslides this weekend into early subsequent week, significantly over mountainous terrain. Up to 16 inches is feasible, significantly throughout japanese and southern Puerto Rico.
Rainfall Forecast
(This needs to be interpreted as a broad outlook of the place the heaviest rain might fall and should shift primarily based on the forecast path of the tropical cyclone. Higher quantities might happen the place bands of rain stall over a interval of some hours. )
Some modest storm surge is feasible on east and south-facing shores this weekend in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hispaniola. In addition, rip currents and tough surf are possible.
Is Fiona A Mainland U.S. Threat?
The backside line is that the mainland U.S., particularly from Florida to the remainder of the Southeast coast, ought to simply monitor the forecast for now because it’s too quickly to inform if Fiona will finally change into a menace.
That’s as a result of Fiona faces the obstacles talked about earlier, together with wind shear, dry air and potential observe over some mountainous Caribbean islands equivalent to Hispaniola.
Among the wide selection of prospects embody:
-Intensifying sooner, and due to this fact curling north into the central Atlantic Ocean far off the U.S. East Coast, much like Hurricane Earl final week.
-Minimal strengthening within the subsequent a number of days, persevering with west to west-northwest, then curling north later, a lot nearer to or over the Bahamas and probably the Southeast U.S. later subsequent week.
For now, the National Hurricane Center forecast requires Fiona to realize some energy by early subsequent week, which might enable it to make a gradual northward flip close to Hispaniola and the Turks and Caicos.
However, as ceaselessly occurs in hurricane season, this forecast might change. Check again with us at climate.com for the most recent updates to this forecast within the days forward.
Regardless of what occurs, now is an effective time to ensure you have a plan in place earlier than a hurricane strikes. Information about hurricane preparedness may be discovered here.
More from climate.com:
12 Things You May Not Know About Your Hurricane Forecast
7 Things Florida Newcomers Should Know About Hurricane Season
The Florida Peninsula’s Luck Since Hurricane Irma Won’t Last
The Weather Company’s main journalistic mission is to report on breaking climate information, the setting and the significance of science to our lives. This story doesn’t essentially signify the place of our dad or mum firm, IBM.
