Though not currently a hurricane, Tropical Storm Tomas will still bring potentially devastating rains and floods to Haiti, the impoverished region that is still trying to recover from the massive earthquake earlier this year.
The above satellite image shows the center of Tomas about 305 miles Southwest of Port Au Prince, Haiti, as of 8am EDT this morning. The system is moving toward the North/Northwest at 6 mph. Tomas is currently forecast to make a turn toward the North and then Northeast over the next 24-48 hours.
On the present forecast track, the center of Tomas will pass very near Haiti tonight. Outer rainbands are already beginning to affect the area and heavy rains will increase throughout the day today. Strong wind gusts to tropical storm force can also be expected later today and tonight. It is possible that Tomas will intensify to a minimal hurricane later tonight. At this time however, it appears as though the main impacts on Haiti will be tropical storm force winds and very heavy, flooding rains (and resulting mudslides).
Please keep the people of Haiti and that general region in your thoughts & prayers. They were already trying to fight back from a disaster of epic proportions, and Tomas could only make things worse once again.
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