On Monday October 22 2012 Tropical depression Sandy strengthened into a tropical storm. This storm is expected to pass directly over Jamaica and Cuba and reach the Bahamas Thursday of Friday.

While still considered a tropical storm there is a good chance that Sandy will be a hurricane by the time it reaches Jamaica> Hurricane warnings are in affect for Jamaica and the Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Las Tunas, Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin and Guantanamo.

There are also tropical storm warnings in effect for Haiti, and the Central Bahama with a tropical storm watch in effect for the Southeast Bahamas and the NorthWestern Mahamas. At this time there is also a Tropical Storm watch for the southeast Bahamas, Florida Bay, the east coast of Florida from Jupiter Inlet to the Ocean Reef and the Florida Upper Keys from Ocean Reef to Craig Key.

(forcasted) Hurricane Sandy Path

Sandy is expected to strengthen to a Hurricane before it reaches Jamaica later this afternoon and continue as a hurricane as it passes over Jamaica and Cuba. It is expected that Sandy will weaken to a tropical storm as it passes over Cuba and remain a tropical storm as it passes over the Bahamas Friday and Saturday (10/26/12 and 10/27/12).

Maximum sustained winds are currently (as of 10/24/12) near 70 mph with the storm force winds extending outward 140 miles from the center of the storm. Maximum winds are expected to reach 80 mph as (what would be hurricane) Sandy passes over Jamaica.

Hurricane Sandy Slams the DR

As an update to this report Hurricane Sandy has caused thousands of evacuations, road closures, school closures, canceled international flights from one of the Santo Domingo international Airports (Higuero International Airport (aili) north of Santo Domingo) and a country wide power outage. And this is only from being swept by one of the spires. (For more information read Hurricane Sandy Slams the DR).