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Tropical Storm Fay Forms Over Dominican Republic

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The Associated Press

Published: August 15, 2008

MIAMI — Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say Tropical Storm Fay has formed over the Dominican Republic.

The center of the storm is located about 35 miles east of Santo Domingo as of 5 p.m.

The storm has maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph with higher gusts and is moving west at about 14 mph. Forecasters are expecting little change in the storm's strength in the next 24 hours.

The Dominican government has issued a tropical storm warning for the country's entire north coast and parts of the south coast.

Tropical storm warnings also have been issued by Haiti for its north coast and by Cuba for the provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba and Granma.

John McMichael, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said it's too early to give odds on the storm hitting the Tampa area but that the storm's current track has it as a tropical storm hitting the west coast of Florida.

He said the track is subject to change.

Area residents should continue to monitor the storm throughout the weekend. By late Sunday into Monday, he said, it should be clearer where the storm will hit.

"People should be reviewing their hurricane preparation plans and evacuation plans, but they shouldn't be going be crazy over it right now," McMichael said.

Tribune reporter Josh Politlove contributed to this report.

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