Tropical Storm Grace en Route to the Yucatan
HAVANA TIMES – Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula including Cancun is preparing for Tropical Storm Grace which is expected to be of hurricane strength when it reaches land on Thursday.
Thus far the storm brought heavy rain and winds Tuesday afternoon to earthquake-affected Haiti and Jamaica. Cuba has had a tropical storm watch in effect for most of its southern coasts in case of sea surges.
At 11 PM (ET) on Tuesday the center of the storm system was located by the National Hurricane Center at 145 miles ESE of Grand Cayman and 60 miles west of Negril, Jamaica. The maximum sustained winds are currently at 60 mph and the center is moving West at 14 mph. Forecasters expect it to reach hurricane strength (at least 74 mph) by sometime on Wednesday.
A hurricane warning is in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico from Cancun to Punta Herrero including Cozumel. A hurricane watch is in effect for the Cayman Islands.
Jamaica is still under tropical storm conditions and a warning remains for the southern coast of the Cuban provinces of Granma, Las Tunas and Camaguey. The southern coasts of Ciego de Avila Sancti Spiritus, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Pinar del Rio and the Isle of Youth remain on a tropical storm watch.