Tropical Storm Gustav has left at least 22 people dead in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and continues on its path towards Cuba, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.  Gustav is expected to reach Jamaica tomorrow, then make a westward turn.  By early Saturday, some predict the tropical storm will have intensified into a strong category 3 hurricane as it hits the western coast of Cuba.

Media outlets have begun to speculate about the possibility of Gustav inflicting heavy damage on the Gulf Coast of the United States, particularly the state of Louisiana which is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina of 2005.  The governor of Louisiana has declared a state of emergency in anticipation of the storm and citizens are being advised to stock up on supplies and protect their homes.  FEMA has initiated precautionary actions and is coordinating with other government agencies in order to be prepared for Gustav and the National Guard is on active alert.

Cancun and the Riviera Maya still seem to be on the outside of the danger zone, but some models indicate a possible westward shift which would mean rain and wind on the weekend.  It is still too early to know for certain which path Gustav will take, storms are notoriously unpredictable and many factors can affect its journey.

posted by CancunCanuck

in Cancun