OLGA SHOWING MORE TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND STRENGTHENS
Published:Wednesday | December 12, 2007 | 6:54 AM
Bulletin # 4
Olga has now been confirmed to be a tropical storm while strengthening over southern Hispaniola.
At 7:00 p.m., the centre of Tropical Storm Olga was located near Latitude 18.8 degrees North, Longitude 69.5 degrees West. This is about 720 kilometers (445 miles) east of Morant Point, Jamaica, or 45 kilometers (30 miles) north-northeast of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Olga is moving west at about 20 km/h (13 mph) and this general motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours.
Maximum sustained winds are now near 95 km/h (60 mph), with higher gusts, while tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 390 km (240 miles) to the north of the centre.
Olga is forecast to gradually weaken while moving over southern Hispaniola tonight and begin affecting Jamaica’s weather on Wednesday morning before passing just north of the island. Periods of heavy rainfall and gusty winds, along with above-normal waves along the north coast, are likely on Wednesday afternoon, decreasing on Thursday.
Small craft operators should continue to pay special attention to subsequent Bulletins and are urged not to venture far from the mainland as sea conditions will gradually deteriorate during the next 12-24 hours.
The Meteorological Service will continue to monitor the situation and the next Bulletin will be issued at 11:00 p.m.