Hurricane Omar formed quickly in the eastern Caribbean on October 14, 2008, battering the islands of Curacao and Aruba with high winds and heavy rain. By October 15, forecasters issued hurricane watches and warnings for parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, as the storm became a powerful Category 3 hurricane. Omar crossed parts of the Virgin Islands and rapidly weakened into a Category 1 storm as it veered out into the Atlantic Ocean on the morning of October 16.CNN: Hurricane Omar weakening as it heads out to sea (October 16, 2008) National Hurricane Center: Hurricane Omar Public Advisory CNN: Hurricane Omar nears Puerto Rico with 75-mph winds (October 15, 2008)
References
Fast Facts
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October 16, 2008
At 11 a.m. EST, Hurricane Omar's center was located about 180 miles northeast of the northern Leeward IslandsNational Hurricane Center: Public Advisory
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Fact:
Storm was moving toward the northeast at about 23 miles per hourNational Hurricane Center: Public Advisory
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Maximum sustained winds
near 85 miles per hour, with higher gustsNational Hurricane Center: Public Advisory
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Location
Latitude 20.2 north, 61.3 west at 11 a.m. EST, on October 16, 2008
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Fact:
