THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE 5 PM TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE ALERT STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS WHICH INCLUDE MONTSERRAT AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

….JOSEPHINE MOVING WEST-NORTHWESTWARD WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH…

AT 500 PM, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.5 NORTH, LONGITUDE 50.6 WEST OR ABOUT 865 MILES ESE OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND APPROXIMATELY 965 MILES ESE 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 FEW 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.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH (75 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB (29.68 INCHES).

BASED UPON THE LATEST POSITION AND ANALYSES, TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARDS THE WNW AND WILL PASS TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS ON SATURDAY AT A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY. SOME CLOUDINESS AND SHOWERS COULD STILL OCCUR ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. NO PARTICULAR ACTION IS REQUIRED AT THIS TIME OTHER THAN TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM UNTIL IT CLEARS THE AREA.

REPEATING THE 5 PM POSITION…14.5N 50.6W, MOVEMENT WNW, MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…45 MPH, MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1005 MB…29.68 INCHES

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11 PM ECT

FORECASTER ORVIN PAIGE