Tropical Storm Grace Remains Disorganized But Will Bring Heavy Rains

FLORIDA – Tropical Storm Grace which formed on Saturday remains disorganized as it moves just south of Puerto Rico and forecasters say heavy rainfall across the Lesser and Greater Antilles remains the primary threat over the next few days.

The Miami-based National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said on Sunday that satellite imagery shows that Grace, which had maximum sustained winds near 40 miles per hour at 11 a.m., is not a well-organized tropical cyclone.

However, it said some strengthening is expected before it reaches Hispaniola on Monday and then weakening is forecast as the system crosses Hispaniola Monday into Monday night.

In its 11 a.m. update, the NHC said Grace was about 85 miles south of San Juan, Puerto and about 270 miles east southeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. It was moving at the west-northwest at 16 miles per hour.

“A continued west-northwestward motion at a slower forward speed is expected over the next few days. On the forecast track, the center of Grace will move over Hispaniola on Monday, near or over eastern Cuba on Tuesday, and near or over west-central Cuba on Wednesday,” it said.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the US Virgin Islands; Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra; Dominican Republic from the southern Haitian border to Samana.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the north coast of the Dominican Republic from the Haitian border to Samana and the entire coast of Haiti.

The NHC said interests elsewhere in the Turks and Caicos Islands, the southeastern Bahamas, and Cuba should also monitor the progress of Grace.