Tropical storm warnings were lifted for eastern Caribbean islands by yesterday afternoon as Hortense moved northwestward toward St. Croix, the southernmost U.S. Virgin Island.
After weakening slightly during the day, the storm regained its 60-mph winds of the day before. Tropical storm warnings remained in effect from the British Virgin Islands westward through Puerto Rico, but the National Hurricane Center in Miami backed off from earlier predictions that the storm might reach hurricane strength by today.
"People are still worried and they are taking precautions, boarding up and all," said Wilda Davis, a Red Cross worker on St. Croix. "They don't want to take any chances."
Hortense was about 100 miles southeast of St. Croix on yesterday afternoon, moving west at 10 mph, according to the hurricane center.
Tropical storm-force winds were expected to hit St. Croix just after midnight and move into eastern Puerto Rico early this morning, as the eye of the storm crosses south of the islands.
Up to 10 inches of rain was expected for islands near the storm's path, with the possibility of dangerous flooding in Caribbean mountains.
The storm will probably fluctuate in strength over the next day, but upper-level winds in the Caribbean will keep it from growing markedly, hurricane center forecaster Bill Frederick said.
"We're not expecting much intensification," Frederick said.
Hortense battered the French Caribbean island of Martinique with heavy rains Saturday, knocking down power lines and flooding roads before sweeping westward early yesterday.
To prepare for the storm, Puerto Rican Gov. Pedro Rossello suspended a law that forces stores to close at 5 p.m. on Sundays. He also banned the sale of alcoholic beverages after 8 p.m. Public schools across Puerto Rico will be closed today, so the buildings can be used as hurricane shelters.
American Airlines, which has its regional hub in San Juan, said yesterday that it was canceling flights to other Caribbean islands. Delta Airlines also canceled some flights, the Puerto Rican Port Authority reported.
On St. Croix, a popular tourist destination, hotel owners battened down the hatches but appeared calm.
King's Alley Hotel in Christiansted closed its open-air bar after breakfast, and employees pulled in lawn furniture and boarded up the hotel.
"We are definitely bracing for it," said shift manager David Malone.
At the Gannet Hardware store in Gallows Bay, St. Croix, manager Phil Crosier saw only a brief run on supplies.
"We've been hit so many times that everyone is pretty calm here," he said. "It's not like the frenzies of years ago. Everyone knows what to do."