Hurricane Omar weakens to a tropical storm

Omar lost hurricane strength on Friday, weakening to a tropical storm in the Atlantic Ocean and posing no threat to land after causing little damage this week in the northern Caribbean.

Hurricane Omar weakened as it moved out to sea Thursday after delivering a glancing blow to the U.S. Virgin Islands and lashing the most-populated island of St. Croix with rain.

The storms powerful core passed overnight between St. Martin and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, said Lixion Avila, a hurricane specialist with the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Early reports say that no real damage was caused by the powerful hurricane, the Caribbean Islands suffering from knocked down trees and utility poles.

Though the hurricane didn’t hit with all of its power any land mass, except a small uninhabited island called Sombrero, ships that are in the area had to reroute in order to avoid the category 3 hurricane. Ships that had to reroute belong to companies such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America and Disney Cruise Line.

Unfortunately, Omar sank four boats that were in the area, more specifically in Christiansted harbor in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Omar strengthened into a fierce Category 3 hurricane late Wednesday as it pummeled St. Croix with heavy rains and winds, sinking boats in the harbor, knocking down trees and forcing workers to shut down a major oil refinery.

The fast-growing hurricane was roaring toward the U.S. and British Virgin Islands with top winds of 115 mph. Omar's center appeared set to edge passed the tiny tourist islands, but forecasters warned they could still get hit.

"It could thread the needle, but any kind of track deviation and any of those islands will be clobbered," said Jack Beven of the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

At the Caravelle Hotel in St. Croix, maintenance worker Mike Parish was working by the light from generators in a vain effort to keep rain water from blowing in beneath the door. Authorities cut electricity across the island as a precaution.

"We're are doing all we can. The water is too much for us," Parish said.

The storm sank at least two 30-foot boats in Christiansted harbor as it approached from the southwest.

HURRICANE OMAR STRENGTHENS INTO CATEGORY TWO STORM ON FIVE-STEP SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE - US NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

A hurricane warning is in effect for the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Martin, British Virgin Islands and other nearby islands.

A hurricane watch remains in effect for Puerto Rico.

Omar is currently southwest of St. Croix and is moving northeast at about 9 mph. This motion is expected to continue with a gradual increase in forward speed over the next day or two.

Omar's top sustained winds are about 90 mph, putting it close to a category 2 hurricane.

Omar is forecast to move through the northern Leeward Islands late Wednesday and early Thursday.

Omar formed Tuesday in the eastern Caribbean and dumped heavy rain on the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao off the coast of Venezuela. At 11 p.m. ET, its center was about 315 miles (505 km) south-southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The storm was moving northeast near 6 mph (9 kph).

Omar's maximum sustained winds were 75 mph (120 kph), making it a minimal Category 1 hurricane. Hurricane force winds extended outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from Omar's center. Tropical storm-force winds extend 90 miles (145 km) from Omar's center, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Omar was likely to reach hurricane strength in the Caribbean Sea as early as Tuesday night, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, headed toward Puerto Rico and the small islands of the northeastern Caribbean, had sustained winds of 70 mph as it churned about 335 miles southwest of Puerto Rico, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

The storm's sustained winds grew to 70 miles per hour (113 km per hour), just under the threshold for a hurricane, as it churned about 345 miles (550 km) south-southwest of San Juan, Puerto Rico, the Miami-based hurricane center said.