Published 21 August 2020
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
TROPICAL WATCH STATEMENT
WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL DEPRESSION 13 WATCH STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:00 AM ECT FRI, AUG 21, 2020
THIS IS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS
DEPRESSION APPROACHING THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.
THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE
CONTINUES TO CLOSELY MONITOR 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 LATER TODAY INTO SATURDAY, AS A TROPICAL STORM.
THEREFORE, IT POSES A THREAT TO THE ISLANDS 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
BE READY TO IMPLEMENT THEIR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLANS IF
IT BECOMES NECESSARY.
AT 5 AM ECT OR 0900Z THE CENTRE OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION 13
WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.8 NORTH, LONGITUDE 58.5 WEST
OR ABOUT 240 MILES EAST OF ST KITTS AND NEVIS. THE DEPRESSION
IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT 21 MILES PER HOUR
AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE
NEXT FEW DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE DEPRESSION IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE NEAR OR NORTH OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD
ISLANDS LATER TODAY AND NEAR OR NORTH OF THE BVI ON
SATURDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 35 MPH WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AND THE
DEPRESSION IS LIKELY TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM OVER THE
WEEKEND.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1008 MB OR 29.77
INCHES.
ON ITS PRESENT FORECAST TRACK, THE SYSTEM WILL MOST LIKELY
PASS NEAR TO OR NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THIS
SHOULD RESULT IN MORE DANGEROUS WINDS STAYING AWAY
FROM THE ISLAND. HOWEVER, ANY SHIFT IN THE TRACK TO THE
SOUTH COULD BRING THE SYSTEM CLOSER TO THE AREA LATE
FRIDAY. TO BE SAFE PLANS AND PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE FOR
THE REASONABLE WORST-CASE SCENARIO OF THE DEPRESSION
IMPACTING AREA. THE SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE
LIMITED DAMAGE, POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGE AND DISRUPTION TO
TRAVEL. A WARNING MAY BECOME NECESSARY LATER TODAY.
REPEATING THE 5:00 AM ECT POSITION, 17.8 N, 58.5 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 21 MPH. MAXIMUM
SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL
PRESSURE IS 1008MB.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT A LATER TIME.
FORECASTER
BERNELL SIMON
