Tropical Storm Fay Update: Watches, Warnings Widened

Tropical Storm Fay has moved back over water between Haiti and Cuba this morning. The circulation is somewhat disorganized from its encounter with land, but estimated maximum winds have increased slightly overnight to 45 mph. Various watches and warnings are in effect for Haiti, eastern Cuba, Turks and Caicos, southeastern Bahamas, Jamaica, and Cayman Islands. Interests in western Cuba and Florida, including the Keys, are advised to also monitor the storm's progress.

Fay is expected to intensify, probably reaching hurricane strength in the next couple of days, but the amount of intensification depends on the amount of time the storm spends over water. There is also a large amount of uncertainty in the forecast path, but the current prediction brings the storm northward across Cuba and the Florida Keys to a landfall on the Florida peninsula. A reconnaissance flight is scheduled for this afternoon to investigate the storm's strength and organization.