"Alpha becomes the twenty-second named storm of the season and breaks the all-time record for the most active season on record," the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

At 5:00 pm (2100 GMT), the center of the storm was located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south-southeast of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour, the Miami-based NHC said.

The 21st named storm of the season, Hurricane Wilma, was still lashing Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula Saturday, where it was blamed for four deaths. The NHC does not use the letters X, Y or Z to name storms. This is the first time it has exhausted the Roman alphabet and has had to resort to the Greek one to name storms in the Atlantic basin.

Alpha was traveling in a northwesterly direction at nearly 15 miles (24 kilometers) per hour. It was expected to make landfall on the island of Hispaniola, shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, late Saturday or early Sunday, the NHC said.

From there a three-day forecast showed it hitting the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southern Bahamas, then veering northeast over the Atlantic Ocean. Alpha was not expected to hit the United States.

"Some strengthening is possible before the center of the tropical storm reaches the southern coast of Hispaniola," forecasters said.

Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 45 miles (75 kilometers) from the center.

The NHC forecast total rain accumulations of between four and eight inches (10-20 centimeters), with possible isolated amounts of 12 inches (30 centimeters) which "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides."

The governments of the Dominican Republic and Haiti have issued a tropical storm warning for their entire coastlines.

The Bahamas government has upgraded a tropical storm watch to a warning for the southeastern Bahamas and for the Turks and Caicos Islands. Tropical Storm Alpha closes in on Dominican Republic

ATTENTION -with new position ///

MIAMI (AFP) Oct 23, 2005 A new tropical storm named Alpha closed in on the Dominican Republic early Sunday, making this year's Atlantic hurricane season the most active on record, US forecasters said.

"Alpha becomes the 22nd named storm of the season and breaks the all-time record for the most active season on record," the National Hurricane Center said.

At 0900 GMT, the center of the storm was located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) southeast of the city of Barahona in the Dominican Republic, with maximum sustained winds near 85 kilometers (50 miles) per hour, the Miami-based NHC said.

The 21st named storm of the season, Hurricane Wilma, was moving north of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, where it was blamed for six deaths. The NHC does not use the letters X, Y or Z to name storms. This is the first time it has exhausted the Roman alphabet and has had to resort to the Greek one to name storms in the Atlantic basin.

Alpha was traveling in a northwesterly direction at nearly 22 kilometers (14 miles) per hour. "This motion is expected to continue until landfall in the next hour or so," forecasters said. "A turn to the north-northwest is expected over the next 24 hours." The Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.

From there a three-day forecast showed it hitting the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southern Bahamas, then veering northeast over the Atlantic Ocean. Alpha was not expected to hit the United States.

"Alpha is expected to weaken rapidly after making landfall," the hurricane center said, "and could dissipate over the mountainous terrain of Hispaniola."

Tropical storm-force winds extended outward up to 85 kilometers (50 miles) from the center.

The NHC forecast total rain accumulations of between four and eight inches (10-20 centimeters), with possible isolated amounts of 12 inches (30 centimeters) which "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides."

The governments of the Dominican Republic and Haiti have issued a tropical storm warning for their entire coastlines.

The Bahamas government has upgraded a tropical storm watch to a warning for the southeastern Bahamas and for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

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