THAT’S ACCORDING TO A TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE ALERT STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AT 5:30 PM FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2020 FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

…HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS CENTER OF JOSEPHINE A LITTLE FARTHER TO THE NORTH…

AT 5 PM, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.8 NORTH, LONGITUDE 56.1 WEST OR ABOUT 460 E OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND 560 MILES E OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. JOSEPHINE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH (26 KM/H), AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST LATE THIS WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF JOSEPHINE IS EXPECTED TO PASS TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS OVER THE WEEKEND.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH (65 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT. AFTER THAT, JOSEPHINE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN OVER THE WEEKEND AS IT ENCOUNTERS UNFAVORABLE UPPER-LEVEL WINDS. TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES (130 KM) MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 1004 MB (29.65 INCHES).

BASED UPON THE LATEST POSITION AND ANALYSES, TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE SHOULD PASS AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. CLOUDINESS AND SHOWERS ARE LIKELY WITH THE PASSAGE OF JOSEPHINE AND POSSIBLE RAINFALL TOTAL IS 15 TO 25 MM OR 0.5 TO 1 INCH. SWELLS OF 6 TO 8 FEET ARE POSSIBLE AND A HIGH SURF ADVISORY GOES INTO EFFECT FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, ANGUILLA AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS UNTIL SUNDAY. RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PASSAGE OF JOSEPHINE UNTIL IT CLEARS THE AREA.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11 PM

FORECASTER ORVIN PAIGE