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>TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT

WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
9:00 AM ECT MON, JUN 19, 2023

THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

....APPROACHING TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL92 HAS BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED OVERNIGHT...

THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES IS CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL92, WHICH IF THE CURRENT TREND CONTINUES, IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN INTO A TROPICAL CYCLONE (TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR TROPICAL STORM) SOMETIME TODAY OR TONIGHT AND TRACK NEAR OR THROUGH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS WITHIN SEVEN DAYS.

GIVEN THE CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THE FINAL FORECAST TRACK, INTENSITY AND SIZE OF AL92, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT WITH HIGH CONFIDENCE WHICH ISLANDS, IF ANY, WILL BE IMPACTED, IF IT DEVELOPS INTO A STORM. HOWEVER, UNDER THE REASONABLE WORST-CASE SCENARIO, DISTURBANCE AL92 CURRENTLY POSES AT LEAST A MINIMAL THREAT. NEVERTHELESS, THIS ASSESSMENT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE, AND IT IS LIKELY THAT A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT WILL BE REQUIRED WITHIN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. TO BE SAFE, HAVE YOUR HURRICANE DISASTER PLAN PREPARED AND CLOSELY MONITOR THIS SYSTEM.

AT 8 AM ECT OR 1200 UTC, TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL92 WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1600 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS MOVING WEST AT 15 TO 20 MPH.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED, AND AL92 IS AT A NEAR 100 PERCENT CHANCE OF BECOMING A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR TROPICAL STORM WITHIN 48 HOURS.

BASED ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE SYSTEM COULD BE IN OR NEAR THE AREA ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. THIS COULD BRING LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THE SPECIFIC IMPACT WILL DEPEND ON THE INTENSITY, SIZE, TRACK AND FORWARD SPEED OF THE SYSTEM.

PLEASE NOTE THAT NO ALERTS, WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA, BUT THIS IS EXPECTED TO CHANGE IN THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

RESIDENTS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR TROPICAL DISTURBANCE AL92 AND ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THEIR HURRICANE SEASON PLANS PREPARED TO PROTECT LIFE, PROPERTY AND LIVELIHOOD.

AN UPDATE WILL BE GIVEN AROUND 2 PM TODAY, OR SOONER IF REQUIRED.

FORECASTER: LETITIA HUMPHREYS