TROPICAL STORM LAURA WARNING STATEMENT ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES 11:40 AM ECT FRI, AUG 21, 2020
THIS IS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS
NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS THAT THE DEPRESSION HAS STRENGTHENED TO TROPICAL STORM LAURA…
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA IN THIS CASE WITHIN 12 HOURS.
BASED UPON THE LATEST OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS, THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT IN THE FORECAST TRACK OF LAURA AND RESIDENTS SHOULD RUSH TO COMPLETE HURRICANE PLANS AS THE SYSTEM IS MORE OR LESS UPON US. AT 9AM (1300 UTC)
IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CENTER OF LAURA WAS LOCATED SOUTH OF THE PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED POSITION. THEREFORE, IT POSES A HIGH THREAT TO THE ISLANDS WITH THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS FROM STORM FORCE WINDS, HIGH SEAS, MODERATE STORM SURGES AND MODERATE FLOODING.
THE SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE LIMITED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE, POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGE AND DISRUPTION TO TRAVEL.
MARINERS SHOULD COMPLETE SAFE ANCHORAGE AS SEAS ARE DETERIORATING RAPIDLY AND WILL PEAK NEAR 10 FEET IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE STORM DRAWS NEAR.
AT 1100 AM AST (1500 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM LAURA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.0 NORTH, LONGITUDE 60.2 WEST OR 186 MILES EAST OF NEVIS. LAURA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 18 MPH (30 KM/H) AND A GENERALLY WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION AT A FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF LAURA WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER ST. KITTS AND NEVIS TONIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH (75 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME SLOW STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 150 MILES (240 KM) FROM THE CENTER. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED IS 1007 MB (29.74 INCHES).
THE TROPICAL STORM WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT THE ISLANDS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND WILL LAST 12 TO 18 HOURS THEREAFTER (OR OVERNIGHT THROUGH LATE SATURDAY MORNING.
RAINFALL TOTALS OF 1-3 INCHES WITH POSSIBLE MAXIMUM ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 5 INCHES ARE FORECASTED AND WITH THIS TYPE OF RAINFALL, RESIDENTS IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND AND RESIDENTS NEAR SLOPES SHOULD GUARD AGAINST MUDSLIDES.
ALL RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO MONITOR THE MOVEMENT OF LAURA CLOSELY AND ACT TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
St. Kitts Meteorological Services THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 5PM ECT.
Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport
St. Kitts Meteorological Services
St. Christopher Air & Sea Port Authorities
P.O. Box 963
Basseterre
St. Kitts
Tel: 869 465 2749 Tele- fax: 869 465 9122