Hurricane Earl is expected to swipe the V.I. Monday afternoon with winds of more than 75 mph and heavy rains as the Category 2 storm passes to the northeast.
The territory is now on a hurricane warning, meaning a hurricane is expected. The first band of rain from the strengthening storm blew across Coral Bay, St. John at 2:44 a.m. Monday, the harbinger of what is sure to be a wet and windy day.
“You’re getting strong outer bands moving on top of the northern Virgin Islands,” Ernesto Morales, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in San Juan, said at 8 a.m. Monday.
He said as the day progresses, the territory should see winds of 75 mph plus.
“You’ll see stronger winds and heavier showers as the center comes closer,” Morales said.
The center of Earl is expected to pass 105 miles northeast of St. Croix at noon, 68 miles northeast of St. John at 2 p.m. and 68 miles northeast of St. Thomas at 3 p.m. Morales said.
Currently hurricane force winds extend out 50 miles from the center with tropical storm force winds reaching 175 miles from the center.
As of 8 a.m., Earl was centered at 18.4 degrees north latitude and 62.9 degrees west longitude. This puts it about 160 miles east northeast of St. Croix.
The wind speed stands at 110 mph, with gusts to 125 mph. It is moving west northwest at 14 mph. The barometric pressure stands at 965 millibars or 28.5 inches.
The U.S. Coast Guard closed the territory’s ports at 8 a.m. V.I. National Park on St. John closed its offices and Visitors Center Monday.
Reports are starting to filter in that some parts of the territory, particularly on St. John, are experiencing gusty winds and that power is out in some locations.
