ALL RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE MOVEMENT OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA CLOSELY AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES TODAY THURSDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER, 2022, A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS POSE A POSSIBLE THREAT TO THE AREA WITHIN 48 HOURS.

AT 5 AM, THE CENTRE OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.6 NORTH, LONGITUDE 53.0 WEST OR ABOUT 529 MILES EAST OF MONTSERRAT.

FIONA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT 13 MILES PER HOUR. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTRE OF FIONA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THROUGH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS LATE FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT, AND BE NEAR THE VIRGIN ISLANDS THIS WEEKEND.

SATELLITE-DERIVED WIND DATA INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND UP TO 140 MILES EAST OF THE CENTRE.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1002 MB OR 29.59 INCHES.

BASED ON THE LATEST OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS, TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS BY FRIDAY.

THERE ARE STILL UNCERTAINTIES AS TO THE EVENTUAL STRENGTH OF FIONA WHEN IT APPROACHES THE AREA ON FRIDAY, GIVEN THAT ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE ONLY MARGINALLY CONDUCIVE FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT.

ALSO, SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE ISLANDS IN THE NEXT 24-36 HOURS. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 3-5 INCHES ARE FORECAST TO OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF THE AREA DURING THE PASSAGE OF FIONA, WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF UP TO 8 INCHES IN SOME PLACES. WITH THIS TYPE OF RAINFALL, RESIDENTS IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUNDS AS MODERATE FLASH FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE. RESIDENTS NEAR SLOPES SHOULD PREPARE TO GUARD AGAINST MUDSLIDES.

MARINERS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AND SEEK SAFE ANCHORAGE. SEAS WILL START TO DETERIORATE SIGNIFICANTLY BY FRIDAY AND WILL PEAK NEAR 10 FEET OR GREATER DURING THE PASSAGE OF THE STORM.

ALL RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE MOVEMENT OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA CLOSELY AND TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS POSSIBLE IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11 AM ECT.

FORECASTER JALEEL JACOBS