Tropical Storm Isaias is headed for the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Bahamas, where it will produce heavy rains and potentially life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of the latest advisory, (5 a.m. AST Thursday), tropical storm conditions are likely across portions of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through this morning and will spread westward to portions of the D.R., Haiti, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas later Thursday and Friday. Tropical storm warnings are in effect for these islands. The NHC warns that rainfall and wind hazards will extend far from the center of the system and not to “focus on the details of the track forecast.”
It’s too soon to determine if the storm could bring rainfall and wind impacts to Cuba or Florida later this week and into the weekend. A Weather.com report points out that the storm’s track over Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti) could make it become disorganized.
Currently, no islands have a hurricane warning or hurricane watch. Tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect from Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands into the Bahamas. (A warning means tropical storm conditions are expected in the next 36 hours; a watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours.)
Weather.com says more than 312,500 people on Puerto Rico had no electricity Thursday morning because of the storm. Roughly 150,000 people lost water service. Downed trees, flooded roads and small landslides also were reported in various parts of the island.
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