TROPICAL STORM FIONA CONTINUES TO APPROACH THE AREA – THE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO IMPACT MONTSERRAT LATE FRIDAY EVENING AS A STRONG TROPICAL STORM!

THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES IS URGING RESIDENTS TO MONITOR TROPICAL STORM FIONA CLOSELY, CHECK THEIR DISASTER SUPPLY KIT AND IMPLEMENT THEIR HURRICANE DISASTER PLANS IN PREPARATION FOR HAZARDOUS WEATHER.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MONTSERRAT.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS FORECAST TO IMPACT THE ISLAND LATE FRIDAY EVENING AS A STRONG TROPICAL STORM. THEREFORE, IT POSES AN MEDIUM THREAT WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM STRONG STORM-FORCE WINDS, HIGH SEAS AND MODERATE FLOODING, RESULTING IN LIFE-THREATENING CONDITIONS AND DISRUPTIONS TO DAILY LIFE. TO BE SAFE, IMPLEMENT YOUR HURRICANE DISASTER PLAN.

AT 5 PM, THE CENTRE OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.3 NORTH, LONGITUDE 55.4 WEST OR ABOUT 451 MILES EAST OF MONTSERRAT. THE STORM IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT 14 MPH.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 60 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

ON ITS FORECAST TRACK, THE STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE MOST LIKELY TO START LATE FRIDAY EVENING BUT COULD START AS EARLY AS FRIDAY AFTERNOON. ONCE STORM-FORCE WINDS START, THEY SHOULD NOT LAST FOR MORE THAN 8 HOURS. THERE IS A REASONABLE WORST CASE OF FIONA IMPACTING THE ISLANDS AS A STRONG TROPICAL STORM WITH WINDS OF 60 TO 73 MPH WITH HURRICANE-FORCE GUSTS, FOR WHICH PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE MADE. ON THE OTHER HAND, AT THE REASONABLE BEST CASE, THE MODERATE WIND SHEAR WEAKENS OR PREVENT FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF THE SYSTEM. POTENTIAL IMPACTS FROM THE SYSTEM INCLUDE CLOSURE OF THE COUNTRY, WEAKLY CONSTRUCTED HOUSES SUFFERING BLOWN ROOFS OR HOUSE COLLAPSE, LOCALIZED LOSS OF COMMUNICATION AND ELECTRICITY SUPPLY DUE TO DAMAGED POWER LINES, LOSS OF CROPS AND LIVESTOCK AND FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC LOSSES. A MARINE WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED AND A FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED THIS EVENING FOR FRIDAY/SATURDAY.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT AROUND 12 AM TONIGHT.

FORECASTER DALE DESTIN

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