Tropical Storm Isaac linked to one death; Joyce might be coming

Early this morning, Tropical Storm Isaac began to affect the Dominican Republic and Haiti, it is predicted to move on to Cuba, but its trajectory is being watched closely by many across the United States. (Photo: NOAA)

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Monday, August 23, 2012 – Tropical Storm Isaac has been surging through the Caribbean causing heavy rains and flooding, but so far no major damage reports have come from island authorities.

However, according to an Associated Press report, authorities in Puerto Rico have said that an elderly woman died in an accident while preparing for the storm.

As of early this morning, Tropical Storm Isaac began to affect the Dominican Republic and Haiti, it is predicted to move on to Cuba, but its trajectory is being watched closely by many across the United States as Florida is bracing for what could be a hard hit right in the middle of the Republican National Convention. Reports are that it could become Category 1 hurricane by tonight or tomorrow (August 24), causing major disruptions to the staging of the biggest event on the Republic election programme, which was to start August 27 in Tampa, Florida.

Meanwhile, two other Atlantic systems are being tracked by the US National Hurricane Centre (NHC). A low-pressure area over the far western Gulf of Mexico has a 20 percent chance of becoming a tropical system in the next two days, while another disturbance, 550 miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, has a 60 percent probability of becoming tropical system, the NHC said.

This second area of disturbance churning across the Atlantic, currently the tenth depression for the season, could become Tropical Storm Joyce later today or Friday.

Forecasts at 5 am Atlantic Standard Time this morning put the center of this tropical depression at latitude 14.5 north...longitude 40.6 west. The depression is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph or 26Km/h and this general motion is expected to continue through Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds have been clocked near 35 mph or 55 km/h with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.

However, on its current trajectory the system is expected to bypass all the islands to the north, except Bermuda, which models show could receive a direct hit early Tuesday morning.

After this system, the next named storm would be Tropical Storm Kirk.

In the meanwhile, Tropical Storm Gordon has now become history. On Monday (August 20), satellite imagery and surface data showed that Gordon had lost his tropical characteristics, making it a post-tropical cyclone. According to Reuters news, Gordon caused some power outages, fallen trees and minor flooding. The storm is expected to dissipate in a couple of days east of Portugal. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)