Hurricane Floyd was on its way toward the Bahamas Saturday morning, leaving behind nothing more menacing than bands of heavy rain with gusting winds and the possibility of some flooding in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. A small craft advisory remained in effect for the region.
National Hurricane Center analysts said the hurricane is gathering strength on a northwesterly path that could take it to the Bahamas and the southeastern U.S. coast in coming days. At 5 a.m. Floyd's center was located near 21.7 degrees north latitude and 61.6 degrees west longitude, about 365 miles northeast of San Juan.
Local coordinates are 18.3 degrees north and 65.0 degrees west for St. Thomas, and 17.7 degrees north and 64.8 degrees west for St. Croix. A degree equals 60 nautical miles, or a little more than 69 land miles.
Early Saturday, Floyd was moving northwest of Puerto Rico at 10 mph in a path projected to take it about 300 miles northeast of St. Thomas by mid-morning.
Periods of heavy rain and gusty winds associated with the hurricane are likely to affect the Virgin Islands through Sunday. According to weather reports, there is a threat of flooding and flash flooding through Monday, when the main feeder band that connects Floyd with the inter-tropical convergence zone moves across the Virgin islands.
Large northerly swells generated by the hurricane will reach St. Thomas coastal waters today, with seas and winds higher near thunderstorms.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 75 miles from the center of the storm, and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles.
