Weather and Water: Topics at Monday’s Government Briefing

Government officials updated the public on upcoming tropical weather and steps being taken to alleviate the brown water some St. Croix residents are experiencing from V.I. Water and Power Authority sources at Monday’s Government House press conference.

While Hurricane Lee, still a Category 4 storm, is north of the islands, Daryl Jaschen, executive director of the V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency, pointed out the territory will experience rip currents and “life-threatening” 6-10 foot seas for a few days — especially the East End of St. Croix and north shores of St. Thomas and St. John. He said to expect beaches to be eroded due to the swells.

Jaschen said there is another named storm, Margo, and the possibility of two more moving off the coast of Africa. Next week, experts will be able to track and predict the new systems more accurately.

“The formation, as of this morning, for the next 48 hours, is low at 10 percent and for the next seven days is low at 10 percent,” but the second system is expected to gradually develop, he said, and a tropical depression could form by the weekend.