August 15, 2008 Tropical Storm forms over Dominican Republic

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) - Tropical Storm Fay has formed over the Dominican Republic and was expected to barrel west toward Cuba over the weekend.

The center of the storm was located about 35 miles (22 miles) east of Santo Domingo, and had maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph (64 kph) with higher gusts. It was moving west at about 14 mph (22 kph), according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said Friday that the storm could strengthen significantly when it emerges from Cuba's north coast. They said it has a 30 percent chance of becoming a hurricane then and that it could pass near or over the Florida Keys and the west coast of Florida. It is the sixth storm to form in the Atlantic this year.

The Dominican government issued a tropical storm warning for the country's entire north coast and parts of the south coast. The storm knocked out power across the capital of Santo Domingo, and loud claps of thunder set off car alarms on Friday afternoon.

Several of the 11 heads of state who had not arrived for the president's Saturday inauguration were still expected to do so late Friday. However, airport officials canceled two American Eagle flights from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Santo Domingo and diverted a Jet Blue flight from New York to Santiago, a city in the country's center. Officials also diverted three international flights from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo, said Yolanda Manan, spokeswoman for the civil aviation authority.

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Many Dominicans were caught off-guard as the storm approached, since it was still a tropical wave by late Thursday.

Jean Carlos Pena said he was surprised when he left to make a delivery Friday afternoon and was greeted by heavy rain. The 18-year-old, who works at a repair shop in the capital, thought the rain would last only about 10 minutes.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)