Storm warnings as Danny nears Caribbean islands
Digital Reporter
Saturday, August 22, 2015, 9:28 PM - Danny has weakened to tropical storm status as it nears the Leeward Islands.
Nevertheless, tropical storm warnings remain in effect for several areas, including Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla. Watches are in effect elsewhere, including for Puerto Rico, although the French government has dropped them for its Caribbean island territories.
The former hurricane briefly attained Category 3 status on Friday before dropping to a tropical storm Saturday and continues to show signs of weakening. The latest report from the National Hurricane Center reports sustained winds of 85 km/h.
The storm is slowly moving west at about 24 km/h.
"Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours," the National Hurricane Center says.
The people of the Leeward Islands have been told to keep an eye on Danny's progress. The storm is forecast to reach land by Monday, potentially threatening the region with heavy rain and gale force winds, before impacting the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico early next week. An estimated 50 to 100 mm is expected over the Leeward Islands through Monday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of the warning area by Sunday night, while they are also possible elsewhere over the Leeward Islands from Guadeloupe northward overnight, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Danny is expected to become a tropical depression by late Monday or early Tuesday.
#HurricaneDanny Keeping an eye on you from @space_station. Looks like you're 1st in Atlantic. Stay safe! #YearInSpace pic.twitter.com/8U0ZsEZ482
— Scott Kelly (@StationCDRKelly) August 20, 2015
Danny is considered a small tropical cyclone. Hurricane-force winds only extend outward up to 20 km from the centre, while tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 95 km, according to NOAA.
Earlier this year, forecasters predicted it would be a slow hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. The season runs from June 1 to November 30. During that time, the region sees an average of as 12.1 tropical storms, 6.4 hurricanes, 2.7 major hurricanes that are a category 3 or larger.
Danny is preceded by tropical storm Claudette, which brought moderate rainfall to parts of Newfoundland after making landfall.
Source: National Hurricane Center
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