ACCORDING TO THE 9PM UPDATE ISSUED BY THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES, TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER AND HEAVY SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MONTSERRAT
.A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA, IN THIS CASE, TONIGHT INTO TOMORROW.
BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION, MONTSERRAT IS NOW EXPERIENCING TROPICAL CYCLONE IMPACTS FROM TROPICAL STORM FIONA. HENCE, RESIDENTS SHOULD TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTION.
AT 8:00 PM, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.5 NORTH, LONGITUDE 61.5 WEST OR ABOUT 51 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST MONTSERRAT.ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF FIONA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE LEEWARD ISLANDS TONIGHT.
FIONA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 15 MPH (24 KM/H). A WEST TO WEST-NORTHWEST MOTION WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARDING SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY MONDAY.
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 AND A WIND GUST OF 44 MPH WAS RECENTLY REPORTED AT V.C.BIRD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN ANTIGUA.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1002 MB (29.59 INCHES).
BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM FIONA HAS SHIFTED CLOSER TO MONTSERRAT. THIS MEANS THAT MONTSERRAT WILL BE EXPOSED TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. THESE ARE WINDS OF THE ORDER OF 39 MPH. MORE SPECIFIC IMPACTS INCLUDE:
WINDS: 30 TO 40 MPH SUSTAINED WINDS WITH POSSIBLE HIGHER GUSTS TO 55 MPH ARE LIKELY. THESE WINDY CONDITIONS COULD PRODUCE FLYING DEBRIS FROM SMALL OBJECTS AND DAMAGE TO WEAK INFRASTRUCTURE.
RAINFALL: RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AND FLOOD-PRONE AREAS AS WELL AS MUDSLIDES. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL SATURDAY 8AM.
SEAS: SEAS REACHING BETWEEN 9 TO 15 FEET MAINLY IN STORM SURGE, COULD PRODUCE BATTERING WAVES AND RIP CURRENTS. AS A RESULT MARINERS AND BEACHGOERS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AND AVOID THE BEACHES.
RESIDENTS IN MONTSERRAT SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF FIONA.
THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11 PM.
FORECASTER LETITIA HUMPHREYS