12.11.2007 8:58 AM

Sub Tropical Storm Olga Menaces Dominican Republic

Rare December Storm Activity

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Chart showing probabilities of tropical-storm force winds from sub tropical storm Olga.

This chart shows the near certain probability that Sub Tropical Storm Olga will produce tropical storm-force winds.

Photo: National Hurricane Center

By Dan Shapley

Sub Tropical Storm Olga, the 15th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, formed overnight and could threaten the Dominican Republic with tropical storm-force winds, according to the latest National Hurricane Center forecast.

The storm is expected to pass over the island of Hispaniola, which includes the Dominican Republic and Haiti, today and tonight. It will drop as little as two inches of rain in some places, but as much as 10 inches in others. That could set off life-threatening flooding and mudslides.

The storm's maximum sustained winds, at 40 mph, aren't expected to increase.

Storms of this kind typically don't form this late in the season, which officially ended Nov. 30. But December and even January storms are not unprecedented.

The Atlantic hurricane season did not meet expectations, with fewer hurricanes than predicted. But it had an unusually high number of tropical storms, two Category 5 hurricanes that made landfall and several rapidly intensifying hurricanes. This latest – and late – storm will only add to the notably schizophrenic nature of the season.

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