22:00 04Dec2003 UPDATE 1-Late-season tropical storm threatens Caribbean

(Updates throughout with storm strengthened, warnings added)
MIAMI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas raised storm
warnings on Thursday as a rare December tropical storm formed in the Caribbean four days after the
hurricane season's official end.
Tropical Storm Odette had top winds of 40 mph (64 kph), just over the threshold to become a
named storm. It is the 15th Atlantic tropical storm or hurricane of 2003, making the year one of the
region's busiest ever recorded for tropical systems.
Jamaica and Haiti alerted residents to possible storm conditions within 24 hours. Haiti, the
poorest country in the Americas, has been stripped of much of its forest cover, leaving it
especially vulnerable to flash floods and mudslides from tropical storms.
A tropical storm watch, meaning possible storm conditions within 36 hours, was in effect for the
Dominican Republic west of Santo Domingo. The Bahamas raised a storm watch for its southeastern
islands including the Inaguas, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Islands and Samana Cay.
The Turks and Caicos, a British colony south of the Bahamas, was also under a tropical storm
watch.
Most tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic and Caribbean form during the official
season that runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. But this season has been unusual, beginning with Tropical
Storm Ana, which formed in April.
At 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), Odette was centered about 280 miles (450 km) south-southeast of
Kingston, Jamaica, at latitude 14 north and longitude 75.6 west, the U.S. National Hurricane Center
said.
It was moving northeast at about 10 mph (16 kph), a track that would put it near Haiti and the
Windward Passage on Friday. It was expected to dump up to 10 inches (25 cm) of rain in its path.