Tropical Storm Alpha

Yup, it's official! Tropical Storm Alpha is now chugging along off the coast of the DR.

Alpha is forecast to move northwestward for thenext 12-24 hours around the anticyclone to the northeast...thenrecurve to the northe and eventually northeast ahead of Wilma andthe large deep-layer baroclinic trough forming over the easternUnited States. The official track forecast has Alpha beingabsorbed by the trough in 96 hours if not sooner.
Alpha is forecast to slowly intensify in the next 12 hours prior to
making landfall along the South Coast of Hispaniola. After
weakening over the mountains some brief re-intensification is
possible prior to the cyclone being absorbed into the larger system
to the northwest.