2:00 AM 18TH SEPTEMBER 2017
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SAINT LUCIA.
...MARIA CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN AS IT APPROACHES THE LESSER ANTILLES
AT 2:00 A.M. TODAY, THE CENTRE OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS NEAR LATITUDE 14.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 59.0 WEST, OR 137 MILES OR 220 KM EAST OF SAINT LUCIA. MARIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH OR 20 KM/H. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTRE OF MARIA IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS LATER TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 90 MPH OR 150 KM/H WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RAPID STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS, AND MARIA COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BEFORE IT MOVES
THROUGH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.
HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES OR 30 KM FROM THE CENTRE AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES OR 165 KM.
OUTERBANDS OF MARIA ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS, GUSTY WINDS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER SAINT LUCIA TODAY.
ROUGH SEAS GENERATED BY HURRICANE MARIA WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE ST. LUCIA WITH WAVES AND SWELL 9 TO 12 FEET OR 2.7 TO 3.7 METRES FOR THE NEXT 24 TO 36 HOURS. SMALL CRAFT AND LOCAL FISHERMEN ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN IN PORT.
PERSONS LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING AND LANDSLIDES SHOULD TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AGAINST THESE HAZARDS.
RESIDENTS OF SAINT LUCIA AND THE REST OF THE WINDWARD AND LEEWARD ISLANDS ARE ASKED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.
REPEATING THE 2:00 AM. POSITION OF HURRICANE MARIA, LATITUDE 14.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 59.0 WEST OR 137MILES OR 220 KM EAST OF SAINT LUCIA.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED AT 5:00 AM TODAY.
WEBSTER GAJADHAR
FORECASTER |