Strengthening tropical wave might affect Dominican Republic Friday

Santo Domingo.- An active tropical wave near the WindwardIslands, Lesser Antilles, with a 90% chance of becoming a cyclone, will affectDominican Republic on Friday and the weekend, the National Weather Officeforecast on Wednesday.

It said it monitors the displacement of the system associatedwith a tropical disturbance located some 200 kilometers east / southeast of theWindward Islands, moving quickly westward around 28 kph.

For its part the National Hurricane Center in Miami says thesystem’s winds are from 40 to 45 kph.

Part of the NHC bulletin:

Reports from an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraftindicate that the strong tropical wave located near Barbados is producing windsof 40 to 45 mph. Regardless of whether or not the system becomes a tropicalstorm before it moves through the Lesser Antilles, tropical-storm-force windsand heavy rains will spread across Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, and St.Lucia today.

Satellite and surface observations suggest that thecirculation associated with the system has become better defined, and thereconnaissance aircraft is beginning its mission to determine if a tropicalstorm has formed.

The system is moving westward to west-northwestward ataround 15 mph, and is expected to pass over the Lesser Antilles later today,and move over the southeastern Caribbean Sea tonight and Thursday.

Interests in the Windward and southern Leeward Islandsshould consult products issued by your national meteorological service, includingpossible tropical storm warnings or watches.