TS Sandy concern prompts watches, warnings

Weather advisories were posted for Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas and parts of Florida Wednesday as Tropical Storm Sandy gathered strength, forecasters said. Sandy was expected to strengthen and become a hurricane by the time it reaches Jamaica and Cuba later Wednesday and Thursday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in its 5 a.m. EDT advisory. While Sandy prompted governments to post watches and warnings, Tropical Storm Tony was churning several thousand miles off the coast of the Azores, the center said. Sandy, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, was about 120 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 295 miles south-southwest of Guantanamo, Cuba, moving north at 14 mph, the center said. A hurricane warning was in effect for Jamaica and parts of Cuba. A tropical storm warning was posted for Haiti and the central Bahamas. A tropical storm watch was in effect for portions of the Bahamas, and part of Florida\'s east coast, the upper Keys and Florida Bay. Sandy was expected to move across Jamaica late Wednesday afternoon and evening, and move near or over eastern Cuba late Wednesday and Thursday morning, the hurricane center said. It was expected to approach the central Bahamas Thursday. Sandy could produce 6-12 inches of rain across Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba, with isolated amounts of a possible 20 inches. Flash floods and mudslides could result, the hurricane center said. Three-to-five inches of rain could be expected over portions of the Bahamas, with isolated amounts of 12 inches possible. An expected storm surge will raise water levels several feet above normal tide along the southern and eastern coasts of Jamaica, southeastern Cuba and portions of the Bahamas. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Tony, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, was about 1,415 miles west-southwest of the Azores, moving east-northeast at 16 mph. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect. Tony was expected to remain on its forecast path and increase in forward speed during the next 48 hours, forecasters said. The storm was expected to intensify during the next 24 hours, then begin to weaken.