St. Croix: Variable cloudiness with a few showers, mainly early in the day

Some cloudiness from the external bands of Hurricane Melissa will linger across the islands tonight.

Although shower activity will be limited, there is a slight chance of observing brief showers along some coastal areas and local waters.

Earlier in the day, variable conditions prevailed as shower and thunderstorm activity continued across the region, with higher chances of flooding over portions of southern and eastern Puerto Rico.

Don’t forget your umbrella and avoid flooded areas.

The risk of rip currents remains moderate for most beaches of PR and the USVI. If you plan to go to the beach, be aware of possible life-threatening rip currents over these areas.

Stay safe! #prwx #usviwx

John F. McCarthy is a veteran journalist in the Caribbean, writing from the "Decision Space" where survival meets the surreal. His reporting steel was tempered by a lineage of legendary editors and broadcasters, including Ed Wynn Brant (The Bomb), Owen Eschenroder (Ann Arbor News), Lynelle Emanuel (BVI Beacon), and Charles Thanas (WSVI-TV). Alongside longtime colleague Kenneth C. "Casey" Clark, McCarthy has navigated the front lines of the territory’s history—from the 1997 volcanic "snow" to every major hurricane since Hugo. Known for leaning out of doorless helicopters to capture the "money shot," McCarthy now edits the V.I. Free Press, providing the essential link between the island's colonial past and its SpaceX future.