- Hurricane Hunter aircraft investigating Tomas early this morning found that the storm has strengthened a little more.
- Maximum sustained winds have increased to 50mph, and as of 8am EDT Thursday, Tropical Storm Tomas was located about 305 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, which is also about 735 miles from Miami, Florida.
- Increasingly favorable environmental conditions and a track over more water will allow Tomas to gather strength, and there is a 40% chance that Tomas could become a hurricane within 24 hours. The official forecast has Tomas becoming a hurricane overnight tonight.
- Tropical Storm Tomas is moving to the north-northwest at 7 mph, but a turn to the north and northeast should occur today as the flow ahead of a strong cold front moving through the Southeastern U.S. should steer Tomas northward.
- The official forecast track has shifted to the west and has the center of Tomas passing through the Windward Passage, the channel between Cuba and Haiti, late tonight and early on Friday, then moving over the Turks and Caicos Islands Friday night and out into the Atlantic over the weekend.
- Even though Tomas may not make a direct landfall on Haiti, Hispaniola will be on the stronger and wetter side of the storm.
- At this time, rainfall will be the greatest threat, with amounts of 5-10 inches forecast for much of Haiti and the Domincan Republic and isolated amounts up to 15 inches possible. Southern-facing coasts of Haiti may see storm surge values up to 3 feet with large battering waves.
- Hurricane warnings have been posted for the entire coast of Haiti, but the forecast wind swath keeps most of the hurricane force winds offshore and sustained tropical storm force winds over western portions of the country. However, outer bands may contain gusts to tropical storm or hurricane force strength.
- Additional information can be found at www.nhc.noaa.gov
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