CHRISTIANSTED — VITEMA Director Daryl Jaschen gave an update on the latest tropical weather system, which is predicted to track toward the lesser Antilles later this week, during what is historically the height of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Jaschen said a weather system labeled Tropical Storm Lee is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane later this week. The system is predicted to travel 200 miles north of the territory.
“If the path of the storm makes any changes or threatens the U.S. Virgin Islands, update notices will be issued,” Jaschen said. A second weather disturbance, which developed off the coast of West Africa, is being monitored.
Jaschen urged anyone who has not yet signed up to receive emergency alerts from VITEMA to do so by visiting the https://VITEMA.vi.gov website. Information can also be obtained by calling VITEMA on St Thomas at 340-774-2244, on St. Croix at 340-773-2244 and on St. John at 340-776-2244. Residents of Coral Bay are urged to call 911 by dialing 340-776-9111.
Should a credible threat be determined, Jaschen said sandbags will be distributed beginning Thursday on St. Croix at the Department of Public Works (DPW) in Estate Anna’s Hope, at DPW in Estate Concordia and at the Cotton Valley and Grove Place fire stations.
Sandbags will be distributed on St. Thomas at the DPW in Subbase and at the Fortuna and Omar Brown fire stations. On St. John sandbags will be distributed at the Coral Bay fire station and at the DPW in Susannaberg.
Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Lee currently project it to go north of the U.S. Virgin Islands.