Caribbean getting pounded by Hurricane Omar

Hurricane Omar weakened Thursday after hitting the northern Leeward Islands in the Caribbean with powerful winds and rain. Shortly before approaching the islands as a Category 3 hurricane, Omar's maximum sustained winds had increased to 125 mph, but slowed a bit to 115 mph after moving rapidly away from the islands. The fast-moving storm was picking up speed, heading northeast at about 29 mph. All warnings and watches were discontinued for the Leeward Islands. Earlier, the 500,000 barrel-a-day oil refinery Hovensa, on St. Croix, was shutting down all equipment, which was to ensure the safety of employees and the operation of the refinery. The U.S. Coast Guard closed the Christiansted Harbor, where the refinery is located, on Tuesday. It will remain closed until the hurricane passes and all facilities are checked to be in good order. Puerto Rico and some portions of the northern Leeward Islands, which includes the Virgin Islands, could get up to 20 inches of rain. The storm is forecast to head into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean after crossing over the Virgin Islands and sweeping past Puerto Rico, but hurricane tracks are subject to variation, and such long-range predictions can change.

cnn.com