Published 6 September 2023
Basseterre
Buckie Got It, St Kitts Nevis News Source
TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT
HURRICANE LEE ALERT STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:00 PM ECT WED, SEP 6, 2023
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
…LEE STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE…
…LIKELY TO INTENSIFY INTO AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS MAJOR
HURRICANE BY EARLY SATURDAY…
A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT
MEANS THAT, IN THIS CASE, A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS IN THE AREA OF
CONCERN WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BUT
NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE NECESSARY AT THIS TIME.
MOST FORECAST MODELS CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT THE CENTRE
WILL LIKELY PASS A RELATIVELY SAFE DISTANCE NORTH OF THE
NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS; HOWEVER, RESIDENTS ARE STILL
ADVISED TO STAY VIGILANT AND MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS
CYCLONE CLOSELY.
AT 5 PM, THE CENTRE OF HURRICANE LEE WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 14.9 NORTH, LONGITUDE 46.4 WEST OR ABOUT MILES 1158
EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS. LEE IS MOVING WEST-
NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO
CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN
FORWARD SPEED OVER THE WEEKEND.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 75 MPH WITH
HIGHER GUSTS. CONTINUED STEADY TO RAPID STRENGTHENING IS
FORECAST, AND LEE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER
TODAY AND A MAJOR HURRICANE IN A DAY OR TWO.
HURRICANE FORECE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES FROM
THE CENTER AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 90 MILES.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 991 MB.
ON ITS FORECAST TRACK, TROPICAL STORM LEE COULD BE NEAR THE
ISLANDS LATE FRIDAY OR SATURDAY AS A MAJOR TROPICAL CYCLONE
AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THE ISLANDS WILL BE IMPACTED HAZADOUS
SEAS. OTHER IMPACTS WHICH INCLUDE THE POSSIBILITY OF STORM
WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS WILL HIGHLY DEPEND ON THE PROXIMITY OF
THE CYCLONES PATH, ITS SIZE AND INTENSITY WHICH WOULD BECOME
CLEARER IN TIME.
NOTE THAT THERE ARE NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT AT THIS
TIME. HOWEVER, RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR
TROPICAL STORM LEE AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR
HURRICANE SEASON PLANS PREPARED.
THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY AFTER 11 PM.
FORECASTER LETITIA HUMPHREYS
