TROPICAL DISTURNBANCE 37
Tropical
Disturbance 37 is located near 17N/58W, and is moving to the west-northwest at
15 mph. At this time no further development has taken place however the system
may bring unstable weather conditions to the territory ahead Tropical
Depression 14 which has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Maria.
TROPICAL
STORM MARIA
Current
Location: 13.0N/42.0W
Geographic
Reference: 1305 miles east of the Lesser Antilles
Movement:
West at 23 mph
Maximum
Winds: 50 mph gusting to 65 mph
Organizational
Trend: Increasing
Forecast
Track Confidence: Average due to good
model consensus and well-defined steering flow.
Changes From Previous Forecast
Forecasters
have slowed the strengthening trend through the first 4 days.
Forecast
Tropical
Depression Fourteen has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Maria. It continues
moving quickly to the west or west-northwest with little change expected over
the next couple of days. A gradual northwest turn will begin by the weekend
followed by a northward turn early next week. This track will take Maria near
the northeastern Caribbean Sea on Saturday and early Sunday.
Moderate wind shears in Maria’s path will
likely limit strengthening, and forecasters think it will still be a tropical
storm when it skirts the northeastern Caribbean Sea over the weekend. Once it
moves north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, conditions will become a little more
favorable and it has a chance to become a hurricane. Confidence in the
intensity forecast remains below normal due to uncertainties in the amount of
wind shear in its path. The current track will bring will Tropical Storm Maria very close or over
the Virgin Islands. Residents should monitor the progress of the storm and make
the necessary preparations.
Expected Impacts on Land
Leeward
Islands: Squalls may reach the islands of the
northeast Caribbean as early as Friday evening.
U.S.
and British Virgin Islands: Squalls may
reach the area by Saturday morning.
Please
visit the Department of Disaster Management’s website at www.bviddm.com and
subscribe to the notification link.
Disclaimer:
The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) is not an official Meteorological
Office. The Information disseminated by the Department is gathered from a
number of professional sources used or contracted by the DDM to provide such
information. This information is to be used as a guide by anyone who has
interest in local weather conditions. By no means can the DDM or the BVI
Government be held accountable by anyone who uses this information
appropriately for legal evidence or in justification of any decision which may
result in the loss of finances, property or life.
