Hurricane Isaac is flailing away far out at sea while Tropical Storm Joyce plods west, more than a thousand miles away. The problem here is rain.
A weak tropical wave moving slowly through the area will combine with a moist, unstable air mass to create potential flooding Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service office in San Juan, which has issued a flash flood watch for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico until 6 p.m.
Doppler radar this morning detected a large area of showers and thunderstorm in a north-south line and moving in a generally northwest to southeast direction this morning from the Dominican Republic to the Virgin Islands. The tropical wave is embedded in a moisture-laden southeast air flow and will provide lift needed to generate heavy rain and thunderstorms. Soil in many areas is saturated and runoff could pose significant flooding hazards.
Area residents are advised by the weather service to take precautions, especially when driving though low-lying areas. The National Weather Service predicts more sunshine for Thursday and Friday. Today's complete weather forecast in the U.S. Virgin Islands can be accessed by clicking on the rainbow at the top of the Source menu.