Tropical Storm Ophelia is centered near 13.0N/47.0 W, or about 840 miles east of Barbados. Maximum sustained winds are now near 65 mph. Movement is to the west at 14 mph. Ophelia is forecast to move just north of the northern Leeward Islands by this weekend.
Forecasters have said that Ophelia will continue to track to the west to west-northwest over the next three days which is expected to be north of the Leeward Islands on Sunday. Beyond then, an approaching cold front off the U.S. East Coast should cause Ophelia to take a northward turn.
Squalls are likely to impact the Leeward Islands from Saturday evening and could last into Monday afternoon. The outermost squalls are expected to impact the Northeast Caribbean Sea by early Sunday morning, bringing wind gusts to tropical storm force and rough seas. Almost all of the squalls will occur behind the passage of the center.
All residents should remain in a high state of readiness as they continue to monitor the progress of Ophelia and make necessary preparations. The Department of Disaster Management will continue to monitor the storm and provide updates when necessary. 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.
