4,600 Customers On St. Croix Lose Power As Beryl Brings Rain, Wind To USVI

The Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority said this morning that 4,600 of its electrical service customers on St. Croix, more specifically feeders 2A and 4A, lost power this morning, and that line crews were dispatched to determine the cause and attempt to restore power.

“All efforts will be made to restore service to both feeders as quickly and as safely as possible,” WAPA said in a notification. “Inclement weather may delay the restoration of service.”

The weather system called Beryl is now affecting the U.S. Virgin Islands with rain and wind, as predicted by the National Hurricane Center (N.H.C.). The storm is expected to produce storm total rain accumulations of 2 to 3 inches through Tuesday across the Leeward and the Virgin Islands, as well as Puerto Rico. Local amounts up to 5 inches are possible.

Strong gusty winds are possible across the Leeward Islands tonight, and in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Monday and Monday night.

As of 11:00 p.m. Sunday, the remnants of Beryl were located near latitude 15.8 North, longitude 62.4 West, N.H.C. said. The remnants are moving west-northwestward near 26 mph (43 km/h), and this general motion should continue through Monday. On the forecast track, the remnants of Beryl will move across the northeastern Caribbean Sea to the south of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight and Monday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Wind associated with the remnants are expected to drop below gale-force later tonight or Monday morning.

However, environmental conditions are expected to become somewhat conducive for regeneration of a tropical cyclone in a few days when the remnants of Beryl are forecast to move across the Bahamas and the western Atlantic.

Formation chance through 48 hours is low at near 0 percent. Formation chance through 5 days is low at 30 percent.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) to the north of the center. La Desirade Island near Guadeloupe recently reported a sustained wind of 35 mph (57 km/h) and a wind gust of 46 mph (78 km/h).