WHCA31 TAPA
HURRICANE LEE ALERT STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:03 AM ECT THU, SEP 7, 2023
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
…HURRICANE LEE EXPECTED TO RAPIDLY STRENGTHEN. NO SPECIFIC ACTION REQUIRED OF RESIDENTS BUT TO CLOSELY MONITOR ITS PROGRESS..
… A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT MEANS THAT, IN THIS CASE, A TROPICAL CYCLONE IS IN THE AREA WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 – 48 HOURS. HOWEVER NO WATCHES OR WARNINGS ARE NECESSARY AT THIS TIME…
AT 5AM ECT OR 0900Z THE CENTRE OF HURRICANE LEE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.1 NORTH, AND 48.6 WEST OR ABOUT 876 MILES EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND ABOUT 1067 MILES EAST SOUTH-EAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.
LEE IS MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST NORTH-WEST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 80 MPH (130 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RAPID INTENSIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER TODAY, AND LEE IS FORRECAST TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY EARLY FRIDAY.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND UP TO 15 MILES FROM THE CENTRE, AND TROPICAL STORM WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 989 MB OR 29.21 INCHES.
HURRICANE LEE IS LOCATED TO THE EAST OF THE ISLANDS. ON ITS PRESENT TRACK LEE IS EXPECTED TO PASS TO THE NORTH OF THE AREA LATE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AS A MAJOR HURRICANE. LARGE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO AFFECT COASTAL AREAS BEGINNING ON FRIDAY. OTHER SPECIFIC IMPACTS WITH RESPECT TO WINDS AND RAINFALL DEPEND ON THE PROXIMITY OF ITS EVENTUAL PATH. NO SPECIFIC ACTION IS REQUIRED OF RESIDENTS AT THIS TIME OTHER THAN TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF HURRICANE LEE.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11AM E.T.C
FORECASTER
ORVIN PAIGE
