Category one storm moved over the eastern portion of the Dominican Republic on Monday morning and emerged over the southwestern Atlantic in the afternoon.
The Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the hurricane is about 15 miles west southwest of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds of 90 miles per hour (mph).
A hurricane warning is in effect for the Dominican Republic and the Turks and Caicos Islands, while a tropical storm warning has been issued for Puerto Rico, the southeastern Bahamas, including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana, and the Ragged Islands.
According to the NHC, the center of Hurricane Fiona was located near latitude 18.5 North and longitude 68.6 West and is moving towards the northwest at eight mph.
“This general motion is expected to continue through tonight, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest on Tuesday and the north on Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Fiona will move over the eastern portion of the Dominican Republic Monday morning and emerge over the southwestern Atlantic Monday afternoon. The center is forecast to pass near or to the east of the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday.”
The NHC said some strengthening is expected during the next few days after the hurricane emerges over the southwestern Atlantic, and Fiona is forecast to become a major hurricane by Wednesday.
It said hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles.
Tropical storm conditions will continue on portions of Puerto Rico on Monday morning and over portions of the Dominican Republic within the warning areas through today. Tropical storm conditions are expected in portions of the southeastern Bahamas by early Tuesday. Tropical storm conditions are possible across the watch area in the Dominican Republic today.
Fiona is forecast to produce rainfall of up to four inches in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and up to eight inches in the Turks and Caicos.
“These rains will continue to produce life-threatening and catastrophic flooding along with mudslides and landslides across Puerto Rico. Life-threatening flash and urban flooding are likely for eastern portions of the Dominican Republic.
“Storm surge could raise water levels by as much as two to four above normal tide levels along the immediate coast in areas of onshore winds in the Turks and Caicos Monday night into Tuesday,” the NHC said, adding that surf swells generated by Fiona are affecting the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the southeastern Bahamas.
“These swells will continue to spread westward across the southwestern Atlantic toward the central and northwestern Bahamas and the east coast of the United States through midweek. These conditions could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the NHC added.
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