The US National Hurricane Center forecast that the eye of Tropical Storm Fiona will pass through the easternmost islands of the Caribbean on Friday night, before slowing south of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend.
The forecast increased the calculated rainfall totals for the affected islands to 30 centimeters in places for eastern and southern Puerto Rico and 41 for eastern Dominican Republic.
That amount of rain can cause flash flooding and mudslides on higher ground, with possible coastal flooding and life-threatening waves as Fiona’s winds blow onshore, the center added.
The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season had top winds of about 85 kilometers per hour, a hurricane hunter plane determined in the morning. The hurricane center said there will be little change in strength over the next few days.
At 2:00 p.m. ET Friday, Fiona was moving at 14 miles per hour and its vortex was about 75 miles east of Guadeloupe.
Tropical storm warnings were in effect for the Leeward Islands, and a tropical storm watch was issued for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Dominica.
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