The Tribune

THE Bahamas and Jamaica are the first targets of newly-formed Tropical Storm Sandy, say forecasters.

After taking shape midday yesterday in the central Caribbean, Tropical Depression 18 intensified into Tropical Storm Sandy six hours later.

Forecasters at AccuWeather.com says communities from Jamaica to The Bahamas could endure the wrath of Sandy.

They are confident the storm will head northward, spreading potentially life-threatening flooding rain across Jamaica, Hispaniola, eastern Cuba and The Bahamas.

They believe Sandy will curve northward by Tuesday, putting the storm on a path to slam directly into Jamaica on Wednesday before it crosses eastern Cuba and the central Bahamas by Friday.

Sandy could be nearing or at hurricane strength prior to reaching Jamaica, increasing the potential damage from the storm on its path from Jamaica to The Bahamas.

The storm developed south of Jamaica on Monday, becoming the 18th named storm of a busy Atlantic season that has seen only two hurricanes make landfall.

As of Monday night, the storm was sitting off the coast of Nicaragua, in an area of warm water.

Expectations were that the storm will begin a slow northern slide as it gains stream.

Last night Sandy was about 395 miles (636 kilometres) south of Kingston, Jamaica, and had winds of 40mph (64 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said.

It was expected to head toward Jamaica and be near or over the island Wednesday, perhaps with winds close to hurricane strength of 74mph (119 kph).

As Sandy strengthened into a tropical storm in the Caribbean, a tropical depression formed far away in the Atlantic.

It does not pose any threat to land, but could become a named storm. If it does, it would be Tony.