It will move across the country this Wednesday afternoon and tonight
The proverbial calm before the storm
resumes the situation of this morning since the country awoke with a sunny sky.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Emily now has winds of 50 miles per hour with stronger gusts and abundant rain. It was forecast that it could strengthen more before reaching land.
The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) issued alerts for the whole country and began to carry out the obligatory evacuation of residents who live downstream from the Sabana Yegua, Sabaneta and Valdesia dams (in the Southwest), given the possible arrival of tropical storm Emily, whose effects will begin to be felt beginning in the dawn hours today, according to the report from the National Meteorological Office (Onamet).
Given the storm track models, the COE increased the RED Alert for the National District and 13 provinces: San Juan de la Maguana, Barahona, San Cristobal Azua, Pedernales, Peravia, San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo, San Jose de Ocoa, Independencia, Bahoruco, La Altagracia and La Romana.
At the same time, the yellow alert was increased from green for 19 provinces: Monte Plata Sanchez Ramirez, Monsignor Nouel, La Vega, Santiago, Dajabon, El Seibo, Duarte, Maria Trinidad Sanchez and Elias Piña. In the meantime, the rest of the country is under a green alert.
According to Bolivar Ledesma, the forecaster from Onamet, beginning tonight the East part of the country will begin to feel the effects of the tropical storm. Moreover, he reported that it was expected that today in the morning the tropical cyclonewill be some 185 kilometers to the South-Southeast of Saona Island.
According to the forecaster, independent of whether or not the storm strengthens or weakens, the rains will be between 100 and 150 millimeters (about 4″ and 6″ ), with as much as 250 mm falling in the mountains (almost 10″ ), which means that there will be abundant rains, so the residents of the low-laying areas and along the river and creek banks should be on the alert and take precautionary measures.
Ledesma explained that all the storm track models indicated that Emily would move close to Santo Domingo and San Cristobal. It is expected that waves increase to six feet at Cabo Engaño and up to 12 and 14 feet along the coastline.
