MIAMI _ Tropical Storm Don will likely fizzle Wednesday as it encounters dry air and high upper winds in the southeastern Caribbean, National Hurricane Center forecasters said Tuesday.
The storm, located 130 miles southeast of Barbados at 2 p.m., had slowed to sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west at about 20 mph, forecasters said. A hurricane hunter plane sent to investigate the storm Tuesday morning reported that the compact storm had become less defined and may even lack a center. The plane was scheduled to take a second look later in the day to determine whether Don remains a tropical storm.
Even in its weakened state, the storm is expected to dump heavy rain on the Windward Islands when it crosses later tonight, increasing the risk of dangerous mudslides. Rainfall could reach as much as six inches, with higher amounts in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and the southern Windward Islands through Wednesday.
As it enters the southeastern Caribbean, forecasters say Don will likely loose steam when it hits dry air and stiff wind shear. They expect the storm to weaken to a depression in a day and fizzle completely within 36 hours.
The fourth named storm of the season did not take long to draw the attention of the Twittersphere, which began cranking out jokes about one of its most high profile users, President Donald Trump. Political commentator Ana Navarro called the storm a "lot of hot air, going around in circles" while others posted pictures of the president's windblown hair.
A tropical storm warning has been issued for Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. A watch is in effect for Bonaire.
Forecasters are also keeping an eye on a second tropical wave in the Central Atlantic. The system could pick up intensity, although at this point forecasters are putting the odds of a cyclone forming at just 30 percent over the next five days.
