After a night of heavy rainbands and blustery conditions, St. Croix on Wednesday morning was still bracing for the arrival of Hurricane Lenny.
At around 6:30 a.m. there were reports of a 6 to 10-foot sea surge in the Frederiksted area. The V.I. National Guard and V.I. Police Department evacuated residents in the waterfront area in downtown Frederiksted and people living on the unprotected west end shore in the vicinity of Rainbow Beach.
The 7 a.m. report placed Lenny approximately 80 to 85 miles southwest of St. Croix.
Forecasters expect the hurricane, a Category 3 storm packing 125 mph sustained winds, to hit the island between 9 a.m. and noon.
"Ït will impact St. Croix head-on," said Gene Walker, director of the V.I. Territorial Management Agency. "This is a very severe hurricane."
Hurricane winds extend out 60 miles from the center of the storm while tropical storm force winds extend out 175 miles.
At 7 a.m., Lenny's coordinates were 16.8 north, 65.7 west. The storm was moving east-northeast at 13 mph.
St. Croix is located at latitude 17.45 north and longitude 64.45 west.
One emergency shelter on the island was opened Tuesday afternoon.
Power and phone service on St. Croix has been interrupted in various parts of the island.
