Reports from Puerto Plata indicate that Debby has produced only slight sporadic rains as it passes along the North Coast. Debby was downgraded to tropical storm status as it passed along the Dominican coastline. It seems the storm will have no impact whatsoever on Puerto Plata, outside of the change of activities caused by the precautions taken by the community. The National Weather Service of Miami, Florida explained in its 11 am report that the mountains of the North Coast of the Dominican Republic disrupted the hurricane reducing its winds to near 70 mph or 110 kms per hour, below hurricane strength. The storm had the coordinates 19.9 North and 70.0 West at 11 am, when its center was about 30 miles or 48 kilometers East-Northeast of Puerto Plata. Debbie is now moving West at 16 mph or 26 kph. Forecasters say that it is expected to resume its West-Northwest track that would take it to Florida later today or tonight. In Santo Domingo, on the southside of the island, the skies were overcast and a slight rain was falling. For more information on the hurricane, see our hurricane page at www.dr1.com/daily/hurricane001.shtml
