THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES SAYS ITS CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL96 ISSUED IN A TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT TODAY TUESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2022.

THE STATEMENT SAYS GIVEN THE VERY HIGH UNCERTAINTY OF WHETHER AL96 WILL BECOME A TROPICAL CYCLONE BEFORE REACHING THE AREA AND EVEN HIGHER UNCERTAINTIES OF THE FORECAST TRACK, INTENSITY AND SIZE, IF IT WERE TO DEVELOP INTO A STORM, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT WHAT EXACTLY WILL BECOME OF THIS SYSTEM, AT THIS TIME. AT THE REASONABLE WORST-CASE, DISTURBANCE AL96 POSES LITTLE OR MINIMAL THREAT, BUT THIS IS LIKELY TO CHANGE AND AN ALERT MAY BE REQUIRED IN A DAY OR TWO. TO BE SAFE, HAVE YOUR HURRICANE DISASTER PLAN PREPARED AND MONITOR THIS SYSTEM CLOSELY.

AT 11 AM, TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL96 WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1121 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS MOVING WEST TO WEST-NORTHWEST AT 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 20 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD FORM OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. FORMATION CHANCE THROUGH THURSDAY IS 30 PERCENT AND FORMATION CHANCE THROUGH SUNDAY IS 40 PERCENT.

ON ITS FORECAST TRACK, THE SYSTEM COULD BE IN THE AREA ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL
AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. MORE OR LESS WEATHER WILL DEPEND ON THE EVENTUAL INTENSITY, SIZE AND TRACK.

PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ALERTS, WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT, AT THIS TIME, BUT THIS COULD CHANGE IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

RESIDENTS SHOULD MONITOR TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL96 CLOSELY AND HAVE THEIR HURRICANE SEASON PLANS PREPARED, IN THE EVENT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO SAFEGUARD LIFE, PROPERTY AND LIVELIHOOD.

AN UPDATE WILL BE GIVEN AROUND 9 PM THIS EVENING, OR SOONER IF REQUIRED.

FORECASTER DALE DESTIN