TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING STATEMENT

WHCA31 TAPA
HURRICANE FIONA WARNING STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
11:30 AM ECT SUN, SEP 18, 2022

...FIONA IS NOW A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON WIND SCALE...

THIS IS FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA, IN THIS CASE, TODAY.

BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM FIONA HAS ALREADY PRODUCED FLOODING OF SOME ROADS ON THE ISLAND DUE TO STROM SURGE AND A WEATHER STATION IN BEEF ISLAND RECENTLY REPORTED A WIND GUST OF 42 MPH (68 KM/H). FIONA IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE PRODUCING TROPICAL CYCLONE IMPACTS OVER THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS HENCE, RESIDENTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

AT 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FIONA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.3 NORTH, LONGITUDE 66.5 WEST OR 146 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

FIONA CONTINUES TO MOVE  TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH (13 KM/H). A NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS FORECAST TO BEGIN LATER TODAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY, FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST ON TUESDAY.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF FIONA WILL APPROACH PUERTO RICO THIS MORNING, AND MOVE NEAR OR OVER PUERTO RICO THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING.

REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT AND DOPPLER RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH (130 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS WHILE FIONA MOVES NEAR PUERTO RICO.

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES (220 KM) FROM THE CENTER. 

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS 987 MB (29.15 INCHES).

BASED ON THE LATEST FORECAST TRACK INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS PASSING SOUTH OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS WHICH MEANS THAT THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXPOSED TO TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS THROUGH TODAY SUNDAY.

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, DAMAGE TO WEAK INFRASTRUCTURE AND LOSS OF ELECTRICITY.

RAINFALL: RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 4 INCHES ARE STILL POSSIBLE OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS COULD PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS AS WELL AS MUDSLIDES.

SEAS: ALREADY THE ROADS ARE BEING FLOODED AS A RESULT OF STROM SURGE.  ALONG WITH STORM SURGE, SEAS COULD REACH UP TO 15 FEET WHICH COULD PRODUCE BATTERING WAVES AND RIP CURRENTS. AS A RESULT MARINERS AND BEACH-GOERS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AND AVOID THE BEACHES.

RESIDENTS IN THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF FIONA.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 5 PM ECT (2100 UTC) OR SOONER SHOULD IT BECOME NECESSARY.

FORECASTER
LETITIA HUMPHREYS