December 11, 2007: The Department of Disaster Management of  Anguilla, would like to inform the public of the formation of Subtropical Storm Olga, which is now located just west of Puerto Rico.  Subtropical Storm Olga formed overnight to become the seventeenth named storm to develop in the Atlantic in December since record keeping began in 1851.  Seven of these seventeen storms have occurred since 1995.

Anguilla is out of Olga’s projected path. According to Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services the weather in Anguilla today will be “Sunny to partly cloudy becoming locally cloudy at times with scattered showers." Easterly winds are forecast between 8-16 knots possibly gusting higher.

Subtropical Olga shows the potential to be affected by serious storms and weather systems outside of the formal hurricane season. Together with the recent earthquake, Olga highlights the importance of maintaining preparedness and introducing risk reduction initiatives throughout the year. 

Subtropical Storm Olga lashed the northern coast of Puerto Rico early Tuesday and forecasters feared it could trigger flash floods and mud slides by the time it reaches Haiti.

At 4 a.m. EST, the Olga's center was about 60 miles west of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and about 190 miles east of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

It was moving toward the west at 17 mph and was to be near or over the Dominican Republic later Tuesday without a change in strength, the National Hurricane Center said.

Olga has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and winds of 40 mph extend outward up to 200 miles. Some additional slow strengthening may be possible before the center reaches the Dominican Republic, forecasters said. Heavy rains also could cause life-threatening flash-floods and mudslides in Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.