July 3, 2008 — With Tropical Storm Bertha churning its way across the Atlantic and a tropical wave passing to the south, savvy residents are keeping an eye on the weather as the long July 4 holiday begins.
"You need to be especially vigilant because it's hurricane season," Acting V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Steve Parris said Thursday.
Tropical Depression 2 formed early Thursday, but by 11 a.m. was named Tropical Storm Bertha. Forecasters expect it to intensify.
According to wunderground.com
, Bertha's formation is the farthest east a storm has ever formed in the Atlantic so early in the season since record-keeping began and the farthest east a storm formed in July.
The latest forecast suggests Bertha should pass 700 to 800 miles northeast of the Virgin Islands on Tuesday.
"It looks like its going to stay away from the islands," Robert Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Juan, said Thursday.
At 11 p.m. AST, the center of Bertha was located about 185 miles (300 kilometers) west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, heading west at nearly 14 mph. Maximum winds were about 45 mph with higher gusts, and some strengthening was expected.
Mitchell said a tropical wave well south of the territory should bring some showers overnight. However, the showers are moving quickly so Friday should see only a few light showers throughout the day.
Residents may remember another Bertha, which hit the territory as Hurricane Bertha on July 8, 1996. Like its 2008 namesake, it started its life far out in the Atlantic. The 1996 Bertha, which came the year after Hurricane Marilyn devastated the territory, caused some damage but not to the extent of Marilyn.
St. Thomas and St. John were especially hard hit by Bertha, and people who still had tarps instead of roofs lost to Hurricane Marilyn's winds were dealt another blow when those tarps blew off.
Storm names are only retired if they cause widespread and significant damage, which wasn't the case with the 1996 Bertha.
As hurricane season moves towards its peak in mid-September, Parris said residents should have their hurricane supplies on hand. Plywood should be cut and ready to be hung over windows for houses without hurricane shutters.
Debris that can become airborne should be removed from yards. Generators should be tested and ready to go with gasoline safely stored. Keep non-perishable food on hand and have bottles ready to fill with water should a storm threaten.
Residents should also be ready to move into hurricane mode at any moment because storms have formed close to the Virgin Islands.
The Atlantic basin hurricane season began June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.
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