TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNING STATEMENT

WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WARNING STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
8:30 PM ECT TUE, AUG 13, 2024

THIS IS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING DISCONTINUED FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS...

...ERNESTO EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE TONIGHT...

...ERNESTO MOVING OVER THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...

THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE ISLANDS AS TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE NO LONGER EXPECTED OR OCCURING WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA.

AT 8:00 PM AST (2400 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 64.7 WEST OR ABOUT 153 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST. KITTS.

ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH (30 KM/H). A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND NORTH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. ERNESTO IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TONIGHT OR EARLY WEDNESDAY TO THE NORTH OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ERNESTO SHOULD PASS JUST TO THE NORTHEAST AND NORTH OF PUERTO RICO TONIGHT AND ON WEDNESDAY. ERNESTO SHOULD THEN MOVE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC LATER IN THE WEEK AND APPROACH BERMUDA ON FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 65 MPH (100 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST, AND ERNESTO IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY TONIGHT.

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES (185 KM) FROM THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 998 MB (29.47 INCHES).

RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WITH POTENTIALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE ISLAND AS A RESULT OF OUTER RAIN BANDS; HENCE FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM TONIGHT. RESIDENTS IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND AND RESIDENTS NEAR SLOPES SHOULD GUARD AGAINST MUDSLIDES.

MARINERS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AS SEAS ARE DANGEROUS AND ARE EXPECTED TO PEAK NEAR 10 FEET AS THE STORM MOVES FURTHER AWAY FROM THE AREA. A SMALL CRAFT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT AND WILL BE DOWNGRADED TO AN ADVISORY TOMORROW.

RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE MOVEMENT OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION WHERE NECESSARY TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER STATEMENTS FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS PERTAINING TO TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO. ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION.

SEE YOUR LOCAL FORECAST FOR DETAILS OF THE WEATHER GOING FORWARD.

FORECASTER
JALEEL JACOBS