12 August, 10am:
Residents are being urged to prepare for the arrival of a tropical storm which is likely to pass over Montserrat late this evening and into tomorrow morning.
According to the 8am forecast from the National Hurricane Center, the weather disturbance was about 525 miles east south east of Antigua with maximum sustained winds of 30 miles per hour.
Forecasters expect some strengthening over the next few days, with the disturbance likely to become a tropical depression later today or tonight and a tropical storm as it nears the Leeward Islands.
A tropical storm warning is in place for Montserrat, as well as Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts and Nevis. This means tropical storm conditions are expected within 36 hours.
The hurricane centre predicts the storm will produce four to six inches of rain over portions of the Leeward Islands.
Swells generated by the system will likely begin to affect portions of the Leeward Islands from tonight. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, the centre said.
Montserrat’s Disaster Management Coordination Agency announced the tropical storm warning in a Facebook post just before 9am this morning.
It said that winds in excess of 39mph with higher gusts are possible.
Information on how to prepare for a hurricane is available in the DMCA’s 2024 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here.
Visit the US National Hurricane Center for the latest weather updates at www.nhc.noaa.gov
