Saturday, August 4, 2012

Tropical Storm Florence joins Ernesto

Jamaica was on alert as Tropical Storm Ernesto approached Saturday, with forecasters warning it could strengthen over the next day or so.

The island’s government issued a tropical storm watch, with Ernesto packing winds of up to 63 mph, according to weather.com. There are fears it could become a hurricane.

It was lashing the Windward Islands Saturday and weather.com said that it “looks increasingly likely to threaten parts of the western Caribbean early next week.”

“Ernesto will continue moving through the eastern and central Caribbean this weekend.  Due to a combination of wind shear and dry air, Ernesto may strengthen only very slowly over the next 24-36 hours,” weather.com said.

But it added, “There is a potential for Ernesto to strengthen more quickly in the western Caribbean as wind shear and dry air lessen early next week.”

Threat to U.S.?
Weather.com said the storm would likely affect Jamaica Sunday, with rain and wind possibly lingering into early Monday.

Ernesto would then probably head toward Grand Cayman, arriving Monday, and then Cancun/Cozumel, arriving Wednesday.

Weather.com said that it was “unclear whether Ernesto poses a threat to the U.S. late next week.”

On Friday, the storm swept over the tiny island of St. Lucia on Friday.

Businesses and government offices were ordered closed until noon on St. Lucia as Ernesto passed over the island, churning up 12-foot waves a few miles off its north shore.

It moved so quickly that St. Lucia got less than an inch of rain and there were no reports of damage or injuries.

"I want to thank God for sparing us the worst," said Acting Prime Minister Philip Pierre, who is filling in while Prime Minister Kenny Anthony attends the Olympic Games in London.

All-clear for St. Lucia
Pierre said there was still a chance of heavy rains.

"We have to still be cautious in our approach but the all-clear has been given and normal business activity can return to St. Lucia," he said.

August and September are usually the most active months of the Atlantic-Caribbean hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service reported that "tropical depression 6" had become Tropical Storm Florence with winds of up to 40 mph.

It was in the eastern Atlantic, about 330 miles west of the southernmost part of the Cape Verde Islands, moving west-northwest, according to the NWS.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Reuters contributed to this report.