TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT STATEMENT FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS FROM ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:00 AM ECT SAT, AUG 15, 2020 — AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE JOSEPHINE LATER THIS MORNING
AT 5AM AST, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.9 NORTH AND LONGITUDE 58.4 WEST OR ABOUT 220 MILES EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND 320 MILES EAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. JOSEPHINE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AT NEAR 15 MPH (24 KM/H) AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO, FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARDS THE NORTHWEST LATE THIS WEEKEND OR EARLY NEXT WEEK.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF JOSEPHINE IS EXPECTED TO PASS WELL NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS ON TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH (75 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH EXPECTED THROUGH TODAY. HOWEVER, SOME WEAKENING IS EXPECTED THEREAFTER AS IT ENCOUNTERS UNFAVOURABLE UPPER LEVEL WINDS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES FROM THE CENTRE.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005MB (29.68 INCHES).
BASED ON THE LATEST POSITIONS AND ANALYSES TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE SHOULD PASS AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM BOTH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. NOTWITHSTANDING, SOME UNSETTLED CONDITIONS ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH RAINFALL TOTALS UP TO 25 MM OR 1 INCH AND SEA SWELLS OF 1.8 TO 2.4 METRES OR 6 TO 8 FEET ACROSS PARTS OF THE NORTHEASTERN CARIBBEAN. CURRENTLY A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN PLACE FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA. RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL STORM JOSEPHINE UNTIL IT CLEARS THE AREA.
FORECASTER
BERNELL SIMON
