Washington November 18, 1999 -- At 8 a.m. today, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported the center of Lenny was about 60 miles east of the eastern tip of St. Croix, or 35 miles south-southwest of St. Maarten in the British Virgin Islands. The system was drifting slowly to the east-northeast.
The center of the storm passed approximately 20 miles off St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, yesterday afternoon with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, making it a strong Category IV storm. The core of the hurricane has since passed clear of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
NHC Forecasters measure maximum sustained winds at 135 mph. Hurricane winds extend out 60 miles from the center of the storm and tropical storm force winds extend out 185 miles. A hurricane warning is in effect for Vieques, Culebra, the Virgin Islands and for parts of the northern Leeward Islands. A tropical storm warning is in effect for Puerto Rico on the eastern side of the island, including San Juan.