Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – The country’s national Emergency Operations Center (Centro de Operaciones de Emergencias, COE) has announced a targeted expansion of its yellow weather alert to nine provinces plus the capital’s National District, while keeping 16 additional provinces under a lower-tier green alert, as a slow-moving atmospheric trough and moisture-laden air mass drive widespread volatile weather across the Caribbean nation. The Dominican Republic’s National Meteorological Institute (INDOMET) forecasts that the prevailing weather systems will trigger a sequence of intense precipitation events, ranging from heavy sustained rainfall to torrential downpours, accompanied by frequent thunderstorms, isolated hail, and sharp, high-velocity wind gusts. Forecasters note the most severe impacts will first concentrate in the southwest region, cross-border adjacent zones, the entire Caribbean coastal stretch, and the eastern plains, before gradually shifting to cover other inland and northern parts of the nation over the coming 48 hours. The jurisdictions now under yellow alert, which signifies elevated risk of disruptive weather hazards, include the Greater Santo Domingo metropolitan area, the National District, Puerto Plata, Pedernales, Independencia, Bahoruco, Barahona, Espaillat, and Santiago. The 16 provinces placed under green alert, which indicates general monitoring for potential minor weather disruptions, are San Cristóbal, Monseñor Nouel, La Vega, San Pedro de Macorís, Dajabón, San José de Ocoa, Valverde, La Romana, Azua, Peravia, La Altagracia, Santiago Rodríguez, Elías Piña, Hermanas Mirabal, Monte Cristi, and San Juan. Civil protection authorities have issued urgent public safety guidance for all residents in alert zones, urging the public to refrain from attempting to cross fast-rising rivers, streams, and gorges with elevated water levels, and to avoid all beaches, riverside swimming spots, and recreational aquatic areas until the alert statuses are fully lifted to prevent drownings and weather-related injuries.