ACCORDING TO THE 11 AM STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES TODAY FRIDAY, BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TROPICAL CYCLONE IMPACTS OVER THE SPECIFIED AREA; HENCE, RESIDENTS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO SAVE LIFE AND PROPERTY.
AT 11:00 AM, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.0 NORTH, LONGITUDE 59.4 WEST OR ABOUT 194 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF MONTSERRAT.
FIONA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH (24 KM/H). A WESTWARD MOTION WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARDING SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARDS THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST SUNDAY TO SUNDAY NIGHT.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF FIONA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS TONIGHT AND NEAR OF JUST SOUTH OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS SUNDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR TO 50 MPH (85 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES (220 KM) FROM THE CENTER.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB (29.68 INCHES).
BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS EXPECTED TO PASS SOUTH OF ANTIGUA TONIGHT. THIS MEANS THAT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA WILL BE EXPOSED TO THE STRONGER WINDS IN THE NORTHEASTERN QUADRANT OF THE STORM; THEREFORE, TROPICAL CYCLONE IMPACTS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT THE AREA INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:WINDS: 45 TO 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THESE WINDS COULD CAUSE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FROM FLYING DEBRIS AND MINOR DAMAGE TO SOME INFRASTRUCTURES.
RAINFALL: RAINFALL ACCUMULATION OF 2 TO 6 INCHES COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS AND MUDSLIDES. HENCE RESIDENTS SHOULD MOVE TO A SAFER LOCATION UNTIL THE STORM PASSES.
SEAS: SEAS REACHING BETWEEN 9 TO 15 FEET IN THE MIDST OF STORM SURGE COULD PRODUCE LARGE BATTERING WAVES AND RIP CURRENTS WHICH ARE HAZARDOUS TO BEACHGOERS.
MARINE ADVISORIES HAVE BEEN ISSUED. THEREFORE, MARINERS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AND SEEK SAFE ANCHORAGE WHILE BEACHGOERS ARE ADVISED TO AVOID THE WATERS.
RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM AND ENSURE THAT THEIR HURRICANE PLANS ARE IN PLACE.
THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY WILL BE AT 5 PM.
FORECASTER PATRICE EDWARDS