After pummeling Hispaniola Saturday, Tropical Storm Fay could reach hurricane strength before moving over Cuba. The storm is expected to reach Florida by early next week.
The
AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports Fay is moving westward away from the island of Hispaniola.
At 2 a.m. EDT, Fay was located 140 miles south-southeast of Camaguey, Cuba.
The storm is moving west at 12 mph. Tropical storm force winds of 50 mph, with higher gusts, extend up to 105 miles from the center of the storm.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect in Haiti, the Turks and Caicos islands and the southeastern Bahamas. Tropical storm watches remain in effect for Jamaica, the central Bahamas and the Cayman
Islands.
A hurricane watch, tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect in several provinces in Cuba.
Fay is expected to dump 5 to 10 inches of rain today on Hispaniola and eastern Cuba, with locally higher amounts. The heavy rain will result in potentially life-threatening flash floods and
mudslides, especially in the higher terrain.
The mountainous terrain of Hispaniola has kept Fay from strengthening; however, the storm is expected to strengthen after it emerges over the warm water of the Caribbean between Hispaniola and Cuba.
A lack of strong wind shear will aid in the intensification.
Fay will continue westward before turning northwest and then north around the weakening ridge of high pressure in the western Atlantic. By early Sunday, the storm is projected to be near the south
coast of eastern Cuba.
Fay is forecast to reach Category 1 hurricane strength by the time it moves over Cuba on Monday. It could intensify further late on Monday as it moves through the Straits of Florida.
All interests in Cuba, the Bahamas,
Jamaica, the Florida keys and southern Florida should monitor Fay's movements through early next week for increased development and changes in its track. Fay could affect Georgia and the Carolinas by
the middle of next week.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is currently in monitoring mode. In a statement of the agency website, Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate said
this weekend is the time for everyone to review and update their plans and check their emergency supply kits.
"Anytime you have tropical storms in the Gulf or Florida Straits, it's a good idea for coastal residents and marine interests to closely follow their progress as they usually exit via land," Fugate
said.
Oil and energy traders are closely monitoring the system. Fay could regain hurricane strength before it enters the eastern Gulf with the westward jog expected to continue into Sunday.
Fay could have a minor impact on oil and gas production in the Gulf; however, the majority of the oil and gas operations lie in the western Gulf.
Commodities traders are monitoring the potential impact on agriculture in Florida. Expert Senior Meteorologist and AccuWeather.com agriculture expert Dale Mohler says that impact will also depend on
the track of the storm.
The citrus crop in the center of the state will receive more in the way of beneficial rain than damaging winds from the tropical system. The winds will mostly affect coastal areas and cause rough,
dangerous surf off the Florida Peninsula.
According to the
South Regional News story, parts of the Southeast under extreme and even exceptional drought
conditions may also have some beneficial rain during the latter half of the week.
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