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Tropical Storm Fay May Hit Florida

Image from the National Hurricane Center.

A water vapor satellite image shows Tropical Storm Fay as it moves toward Cuba.

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The Associated Press

Published: August 16, 2008

Updated: 08/16/2008 11:08 am

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Cuba's government has issued a hurricane watch for parts of the country as Tropical Storm Fay approaches.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said at 11 a.m. EDT that the center of the storm was moving west away from Haiti, where it dumped heavy rain.

The hurricane watch is for the provinces of Camaguey, Ciego De Avila and Sancti Spiritus in Cuba. A tropical storm warning has been issued for other areas of Cuba and remains in effect for the southeastern Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the coast of Haiti.

The storm's center was about 130 miles east-southeast of Guantanamo, Cuba.

It is heading toward the west at about 15 mph, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph.

Forecasters say Fay may turn toward the Florida Keys.

It is the sixth storm to form in the Atlantic this year.

John McMichael, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Friday that it was too early to give odds on the storm hitting the Tampa area, but that the storm's track on Friday would have it as a tropical storm hitting the Florida Gulf Coast.

He said the track is subject to change. Area residents should continue to monitor the storm throughout the weekend. By late Sunday and into Monday, McMichael said, where the storm may hit should be clearer.

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

On Friday, a tropical storm warning had been issued for parts of Haiti, the Bahamas, Cuba, and the Turks and Caicos islands.

The Dominican government issued a tropical storm warning for the country's entire north coast and parts of the south coast. The storm knocked out power across Santo Domingo, the capital.

Several of the 11 heads of state who had not arrived for the president's inauguration today were still expected to do so late Friday. However, airport officials canceled two American Eagle flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Santo Domingo and diverted a JetBlue flight from New York to Santiago, a city in the country's center.

Officials also diverted three flights from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo, said Yolanda Manan, spokeswoman for the civil aviation authority.

Today's agenda for President Leonel Fernandez's third inauguration has not changed, his press office said Friday.

Many Dominicans were caught off-guard as the storm approached; it was still a tropical wave by late Thursday. Jean Carlos Pena said he was surprised when he left to make a delivery Friday afternoon and was greeted by heavy rain.

Tribune reporter Josh Poltilove contributed to this report. Keyword: Hurricane, to see forecast updates, get tips for preparation and sign up for weather alerts.

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