Tropical Storm Dorian Predicted to Pass Well North of Territory

 

St. John residents kept an eye on the weather late last week when the fourth storm of the 2013 Hurricane Season was named before all but falling apart.

Tropical Storm Dorian, the second storm of the season to pass near the territory, was named on Wednesday afternoon, July 24. The storm was predicted to strengthen over the weekend, but still pass well north of the Virgin Islands on Monday, July 29, according to information from the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency.

By Sunday morning, July 28, the storm began losing organization and was expected to be downgraded to a tropical storm when it passed north of the territory on Monday.

Dorian was very disorganized on Sunday as it continued to interact with a dry air mass and wind shear associated with a large system to the west of it, according to information from the National Hurricane Center.

Given the hostile environment for development, Dorian could weaken to become a remnant low by Monday or open up into a tropical wave, according to NHC.

At 11 a.m. Sunday, the center of Tropical Storm Dorian was located near latitude 18.5 degrees north, longitude 52.1 degrees west. Dorian was moving toward the west near 23 miles per hour and this general motion was expected to continue during the next two days. Maximum sustained winds were near 40 miles per hour with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center.

Based on the forecast track, the center of Dorian was expected to make its closest point of approach to the territory very early Monday morning when the storm is expected to pass about 140 miles north of St. Thomas.

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

VITEMA encouraged the public to monitor local radio and TV and NOAA weather radios for updated weather information on Tropical Storm Dorian. 

For real-time Virgin Islands weather advisories via text message, voicemail or email, register with VI Alert at www.VITEMA.gov.