Tropical Storm Dorian could bring upwards of 10 inches of rain to the Caribbean islands this week. The storm is nearing the coasts of the Lesser Antilles, including Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Lucia—all of which have issued tropical storm warnings—and could bring heavy rain later Monday through the rest of the week. Nearby islands, including Grenada, Martinique and Dominica, all have tropical storm watches issued. The storm currently has maximum sustained winds at 60 mph.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), residents in these areas should refer to advice from local government officials; the NHC expects Dorian could produce three to eight inches of rainfall from Martinique to St. Vincent (including Barbados and St. Lucia), with isolated totals reaching as high as 10 inches in portions of the northern Windward Islands.
The NHC adds that the risk of direct impacts in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hispaniola has increased. Tropical storm or hurricane watches will likely be required later today. The forecast currently has Tropical Storm Dorian becoming a hurricane as early as 8 p.m. on Tuesday after it passes over Barbados, St. Lucia and nearby islands, before continuing towards Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Haiti, still at hurricane-strength.
Any potential impacts from Dorian in the Bahamas and Florida are still uncertain.
CNN’s meteorologist Ivan Cabrera says Tropical Storm Dorian will battle wind shear and dry air as is moves west, two “hurricane killers.” Should the storm reach Puerto Rico as a hurricane, CNN says it will likely be as a Category 1, adding that Dorian is a compact storm, which makes it more difficult to predict intensity.
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