AN OFFICIAL FROM THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE AT 1 PM TODAY ON ZJB RADIO MONTSERRAT ON TROPICAL STORM LAURA.
Yellow Hill, Montserrat – The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Montserrat. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 to 24 hours.
At 11 AM, the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located near latitude 17.0 North, longitude 60.2 West. Laura is moving toward the west near 18 mph (30 km/h) and a generally west-northwestward motion at a faster forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over the northern Leeward Islands later today, near or over Puerto Rico Saturday morning, and near the northern coast of Hispaniola late Saturday and early Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Some slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km) from the center. The minimum central pressure estimated from NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations is 1007 MB. RAINFALL: Laura is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and the southern Haitian Peninsula through Sunday. Maximum amounts up to 8 inches are possible along eastern portions and the southern slopes of Puerto Rico, as well as over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This heavy rainfall could lead to flash and urban flooding, as well as an increased potential for mudslides with minor river flooding in Puerto Rico.1 to 3 inches of rain with isolated maximum totals of 5 inches, is expected over the remainder of Haiti, the northern Leeward Islands, the Turks and Caicos and the southeast Bahamas. WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of the warning area later today through Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within portions of the watch area Saturday night and early Sunday.
NHC NOAA