THE ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS VALID FROM 12 MID NIGHT UNTIL7 A.M. TOMORROW.
A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONED AREAS.
AN ACTIVE TROPICAL WAVE LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES IS MOVING WESTWARD AT 25 TO 30 MPH AND IS ACCOMPANIED BY INCREASING SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. SOME OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING AHEAD OF THE MAIN PART OF THE TROPICAL WAVE ARE ALREADY AFFECTING THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. AS THE TROPICAL WAVE MOVES INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT SOME HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND SPREAD TO THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS LATERTOMORROW MORNING. A MINIMUM OF AN INCH TO TWO INCHES OF RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN MID NIGHT AND 8 A.M. TOMORROW. HENCE, MODERATE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS ARE POSSIBLE.
PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO SAFE GUARD LIFE AND PROPERTY. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND MOVE QUICKLY TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLASH FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR IMMINENT OR IF A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED. NOTE, JUST ONE FOOT OF FLOWING WATER IS ENOUGH TO SWEEP VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD. WHEN ENCOUNTERING FLOODED ROADS, BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS, AND IF IN DOUBT, MAKE THE SMART CHOICE, TURN AROUND DONT DROWN. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
THE DEPARTMENT OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SITUATION AND PROVIDE UPDATES WHERE NECESSARY.
