Tropical Storm Emily is continuing to push towards Haiti and the Dominican republic, and will cross the Bahamas, possibly hitting Florida by the end of the week, U.S. officials said Wednesday.
The National Hurricane Center issued an advisory on Wednesday, saying that “torrential rains” are expected over Hispanola, which is constituted by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Emily is around 60 miles from the island and its maximum sustained winds are at around 50 miles per hour.
Emily, the fifth named tropical storm of the season, is moving west at around 14 miles per hour and could possibly become a Category One hurricane before it hits the U.S. Between six and 12 inches of rain are expected in Hispanola.
The storm is predicted to weaken a little before it moves over Hispanola and Cuba by late Wednesday.
“Some weakening is possible as Emily interacts with the high terrain of Haiti and eastern Cuba” but “some re-strengthening is possible when the cyclone moves over the Bahamas,” the Center stated.
However, it appears that Emily may suddenly head north away from the North American mainland. Its current forecast track shows that most of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina will not be affected much by the storm.
Tropical storm warnings were also in effect for the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This means that tropical storm-like conditions will be in effect for the next 36 hours.
Emily could be particularly dangerous for residents in Haiti, flooding and landslides are commonplace during tropical storms. Haiti’s infrastructure also suffered a major blow during last year’s massive earthquake, which has displaced hundreds of thousands, many of whom are still living in shelters.
