Tropical Storm Cristobal drenches Bahamas, little threat to U.S.

MIAMI, (Reuters) – Tropical Storm Cristobal moved over the central Bahamas yesterday with winds gusting over 45 miles per hour (72 km per hour), but posed little threat to the U.S. coast, according to forecasters.

Centered about 185 miles (300 km) east-northeast of Great Inagua island, Cristobal was moving at eight mph (13 kph) and could strengthen into a hurricane over the next three days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center reported.

Long-range forecasts show Cristobal, the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, passing near or to the east of the central Bahamas today before heading harmlessly on a northeast track over the Atlantic.

Cristobal drenched the southeast and central Bahamas, as well as parts of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, at the weekend. It provided some relief to drought conditions in Puerto Rico, replenishing key water resources for the capital San Juan.