Tropical Storm Karen has downgraded to a depression but is still expected to bring heavy rains to the Virgin Islands today, Tuesday, September 24, 2019. Photo: iStock/File

The Virgin Islands, along with the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico, remains under a tropical storm warning, despite Karen now downgraded to a depression. Photo: wlox.com

According to Acting Governor Mr David D. Archer, while Tropical Storm Karen was downgraded to a tropical depression, this system carries the potential to bring considerable rain to the territory from as early as Tuesday morning, September 24, 2019. Photo: GIS/File

According to Acting Governor Mr David D. Archer, he has been reviewing the information the Department of Disaster Management has shared from the forecasters and noticed significant variances in the forecasts.

Mr Archer noted that it is clear that while Tropical Storm Karen was downgraded to a tropical depression, this system carries the potential to bring considerable rain to the territory from as early as Tuesday morning.

“This is a time when you would ordinarily be dropping off your children at school or commuting from the Sister Islands to work or school. This concerns me.”

Mr Archer, in an earlier statement, had announced that public schools would be closed on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.

“With the great uncertainty of the amount of rainfall and following our legal obligation, we must adopt a “better safe than sorry” approach. All the data says we should be concerned about flooding and landslides. I am strongly urging the private sector to make a decision about working hours that is in the best interest of their employees and in the spirit of my message.”

Mr Archer also noted that although a decision was made to stagger the closure of the public service on Tuesday September 24, 2019, “current conditions do not require us to implement a territory wide curfew at this time.”

The VI, along with the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico remain under a tropical storm warning.