Life in the territory will return to normal tomorrow, at least when it comes to government operations, according to Acting Governor Tregenza Roach.
On Tuesday evening, in anticipation of the passage of a tropical wave that threatened to dump inches of rain on the Virgin Islands, Government House announced the closure of schools and all government offices on Wednesday. However, Invest 94L failed to deliver the expected torrents. “The rainfall totals today have only been between three-quarters and an inch on land,” said V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Authority Director Darl Jaschen during an afternoon weather briefing. The bulk of the weather system, Mr. Jaschen explained, passed to the south of St. Croix.
The VITEMA director said that forecasters anticipate an 80-90 percent chance of rain overnight, falling the next morning to between 50 and 60 percent on Thursday. Invest 93L, now upgraded to Tropical Storm Umberto, is expected to pass well north of St. Thomas and St. John between Thursday and Friday. However no effects from that system are expected until Monday or Tuesday, if at all, Director Jaschen said.
“Based on the information that we've received today, we believe that the weather has significantly improved and poses less of a threat to school operations and government operations tomorrow,” said Mr. Roach, as he made the announcement that schools and government services will resume on Thursday.
Despite this, the acting governor urged continued vigilance from residents. “We recognize that weather can change on a dime, and that is why we ask you to continue to monitor,” Mr. Roach cautioned. “As of now, we have determined that the coast is clear.”
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