TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCH STATEMENT

WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO HURRICANE WATCH STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
11:10 PM ECT TUE, AUG 13, 2024

THIS IS FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

...ERNESTO MOVING AWAY FROM THE VIRGIN ISLANDS...

...ERNESTO EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE TONIGHT AS IT PASSES NORTHEAST OF PUERTO RICO...

A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMIAN IN EFFECT FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, IN THIS CASE THROUGH TONIGHT. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURING WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA.

AT 11:00 PM AST (0300 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ERNESTO WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.8 NORTH, LONGITUDE 65.3 WEST OR ABOUT 62 MILES NORTHWEST OF VIRGIN GORDA.

ERNESTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH (28 KM/H). A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND NORTH WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ERNESTO WILL PASS TO THE NORTHEAST AND NORTH OF PUERTO RICO THROUGH EARLY 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 DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, AND ERNESTO IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY EARLY WEDNESDAY.

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES (205 KM) FROM THE CENTER.

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

RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 6 INCHES WITH POTENTIALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF THE ISLANDS; HENCE FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. 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 AND SEA BATHERS SHOULD AVOID THE BEACH. SEAS ARE DETERIORATING RAPIDLY AND WILL PEAK NEAR 12 FEET AS THE STORM NEARS AND PASSES OVER THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS TONIGHT. A SMALL CRAFT WARNING REMAIN IN EFFECT.

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

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 2 AM ECT.

FORECASTER
JALEEL JACOBS