Tropical Storm Gabrielle Update 2013: Storm Weakens to Tropical Depression, Heavy Rains Still Expected
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is now a tropical depression, but forecasters are warning that even with the decreased wind speed the potential for severe flooding remains with the large amounts of rain that is expected to fall in the region.
Gabrielle is expected to bring up to half a foot of rain in some parts of the area, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
"These rains could cause dangerous flash floods and mudslides over mountainous terrain," the center said.
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The system, centered late Thursday morning about 80 miles south-southeast of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, was expected to move over the Dominican Republic on Thursday night.
Its maximum sustained winds had dropped to 35 mph by late Thursday morning, below the 39 mph threshold for a tropical storm.
While rains seemed to diminish by midmorning on Thursday, they were expected to intensify again and last through Friday, according to state meteorologist Ernesto Morales.
"We should not lower our guard," he told Fox News. "The storm is very dangerous. There's a very high possibility of flooding."
Miguel Rios, director of Puerto Rico's emergency management agency, said the tropical storm was joining several other storms in the area leading to increased rainfall.
"In the next 36 hours, we can experience heavy rains at any moment," he said. "We must remain on alert."
According to NHC, the hurricane season in the Atlantic starts June 1 and ends five months later on Nov. 30. For the Eastern Pacific, hurricane season lasts longer, beginning on May 15 and ends six months after on Nov. 30 as well.
This year has been particular quite for the Western pacific in terms of named storms, but it has been a relatively active season in the Eastern Pacific, with 10 named storms so far this season. On average, there are only three Eastern Pacific hurricanes by the first week of August, with hurricane season running until Nov. 1.
