Published 20 August 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
TROPICAL WATCH STATEMENT
TROPICAL WATCH IN EFFECT FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS AS OF 11:00 AM ECT THURSDAY, AUG 20, 2020
WHCA31
TROPICAL
ANTIGUA
11:00 AM ECT THU, AUG 20, 2020
WATCH METEOROLOGICAL
TAPA STATEMENT SERVICES
AND
CYCLONE BARBUDA
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. HOWEVER, A WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY…
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM OR DEVELOPING TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS POSE A POSSIBLE THREAT TO THE SPECIFIED AREA WITHIN 48 HOURS. RESIDENTS SHOULD START TO IMPLEMENT THEIR HURRICANE DISASTER PLANS.
THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE IS CLOSELY MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION 13. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM AND IMPACT THE ISLANDS. GIVEN THE NORMAL UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST TRACK INTENSITY AND SIZE OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE IT IS STILL NOT CERTAIN WHAT EXACT TROPICAL CYCLONE HAZARD VALUES, IF ANY ARE
EXPECTED TO OCCUR ACROSS THE AREA. NOTWITHSTANDING, THE DEPRESSION COULD BE IN THE VICINITY BY LATE FRIDAY OR SATURDAY, AS A TROPICAL STORM. THEREFORE, IT POSES A THREAT TO ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM STORM FORCE WINDS, HIGH SEAS, MINOR STORM SURGES AND MINOR FLOODING. RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM AND START TO IMPLEMENT THEIR DISASTER PLANS.
AT 11 AM ECT OR 1500Z THE CENTRE OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION 13 WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.0 NORTH, LONGITUDE 52.0 WEST OR ABOUT 713 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ST. KITTS & NEVIS. THIS SYSTEM IS MOVING WEST-NORTHWEST AT AROUND 21 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS AND A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1008 MB.
GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AND THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME TROPICAL STORM LAURA TODAY. ON ITS PRESENT FORECAST TRACK, THE SYSTEM IS MOST LIKELY PASS RELATIVELY NEAR TO OR NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN MORE DANGEROUS WINDS STAYING AWAY FROM THE ISLANDS. HOWEVER, ANY SHIFT IN THE TRACK TO THE SOUTH COULD BRING THE SYSTEM DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO ST. KITTS AND NEVIS LATE FRIDAY. TO BE SAFE PLANS AND PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE FOR THE REASONABLE WORST-CASE SCENARIO OF THE DEPRESSION IMPACTING THE ISLANDS WITH MINIMAL STORM FORCE WINDS. NOTWITHSTANDING, THE SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE LIMITED TO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE, POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGE AND DISRUPTION TO TRAVEL.
RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR THIS SYSTEM CLOSELY AND HAVE THEIR STORM PLANS PREPARED, AS THE SYSTEM MOVES CLOSER TO AREA.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED LATER TODAY. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED LATER.
FORECASTER PATRICE EDWARDS
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA MET SERVICES.
