Atlantic storm hits Puerto Rico by Frances Runnalls
An Atlantic storm lashed the north coast of Puerto Rico and the surrounding Caribbean islands yesterday, flooding roads and towns along the coast. Local authorities closed the San Juan Harbour and cancelled ferry services to nearby islands of Vieques and Culebra due to strong winds and high waves. In the Dominican Republic a number of beaches along the northern coast remain closed over the weekend.
The storm developed from the tail end of a cold front which generated thunderstorms in southern USA earlier in the week. A cold front is the name given to the leading edge of a cold and dry air mass. As the storm travelled across the Atlantic, it gained strength, with the Caribbean Weather service warning that waves could peak at 9 metres (30 foot) along the coast over the course of today.
Low pressure has been dominating the Caribbean over the past few days, bringing a spell of unsettled weather. In contrast, after a week of torrential rain and widespread flooding, the low pressure system across the Midwest USA has been replaced by a more stable high pressure system.
The worst of the storm was expected to move across the Caribbean through Friday, local fisherman have been advised to remain on land over the weekend.
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