Aug. 31, 2002 — It looks like Tropical Storm Dolly will spare the islands, said forecaster Brian Seeley at the National Weather Service in San Juan; but since storms are unpredictable, he warned Virgin Islands residents not to let down their guard.
"Watch it closely for a couple of more days," Seeley said.
Dolly has also decreased in intensity since Friday when it hit a top speed of 65 mph. As of 5 p.m. Saturday, winds were 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
"There will be little change in strength for the next 24 hours," Seeley said.
The tropical storm was centered at 13.4 degrees north latitude and 45.9 degrees west longitude and moving west at 23 mph. It was located about 1,135 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Forecasters have it turning north long before it gets to the Virgin Islands.
Dolly was the first storm to form in the eastern Atlantic and signified the start of what forecasters call the Cape Verde season. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, with the peak coming near mid-September.
As for Saturday's thunderstorms, Seeley said they were part of a tropical wave moving through the area. He expected the showers to continue through the first half of Sunday.
Monday, the Labor Day holiday, will be partly sunny with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
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