Tropical Storm Arlene became the first named storm of 2005 and caught the current to Cuba as the hurricane season gets underway. The storm, once it hits Cuba, is expected to head up through the Gulf of Mexico and up into the U.S.
Cuba has already started preparations and is under a tropical storm watch as the storm heads towards the western portion of the island nation in the Caribbean. The watch covers the Isle of Youth and Pinar Del Rio sections of Cuba. Havana is on the edge of the warning area as well.
The storm heads north at 8 miles an hour and was 150 miles south-southeast of Cuba at 2 pm EST. According to meteorologists at the Weather Channel, the storm is lopsided, so little rain “is expected to the east and north of center.”
The warnings also cover the Caymans and the Dry Tortugas and heavy rains are expect in all the places mentioned and could happen Jamaica. Honduras and Nicaragua would also do well to keep an eye on Arlene. Forecasters warned all these areas could be subject to mudslides and flash floods if the heavy rains hit hard.
Right now, Arlene has sustained winds of 40 miles an hour. Tropical storms can move up to 74 miles an hour.
Based on projections from forecasters, the storm will head through the Gulf of Mexico and hit somewhere along the central Gulf Coast. The storm should hit Cuba sometime this evening or late tonight and be in the Gulf by morning.
Most people can’t forget the destruction wrought on Florida last year after the got obliterated beneath the power of 4 sizeable hurricanes. About 1 in 5 houses were smashed and billions of dollars in damage was caused just about the entire length of the state.
John Stith is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business.
