Tropical Storm Jeanne was upgraded to hurricane status overnight, making it the sixth of the season and the third to directly affect the Dominican Republic. Currently, the eye of the storm is looming over Cabo Engano, at the easternmost tip of Hispaniola. Hurricane advisories are in effect from Santo Domingo to Puerto Plata and schools in the ten easternmost provinces have been closed as many educational facilities are being converted to centers of shelter and refuge. Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo yesterday suspended 15 flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the storm was already causing havoc. In the DR, bands of storms have extended as far west as Mao in the province of Valverde province, where several houses were reported damaged by small, local tornadoes that also damaged many plantain and banana fields, according to Hoy newspaper. The National Emergency Commission (CNE) has ordered schools in Higuey, Nagua, San Pedro de Macoris, Hato Mayor, Montecristi, Samana, Puerto Plata, San Francisco de Macoris and Cotui to close their doors. The CNE also removed the 412 families living on Saona Island and ordered the evacuation of low-laying areas of Higuey and El Seibo provinces. Hurricane Jeanne is projected to make a northwesterly shift over the next few hours. DR1 News advises readers to tune in to CNN and CDN (Channel 37) on local television for the latest weather bulletins. Otherwise, www.caribwx.com , www.intellicast.com and www.nhc.noaa.gov are very reliable internet sources with good satellite imagery and accurate storm tracks.