Tropical Cyclone Kirk Statement – Antigua & Barbuda Meteorological Services (5 am, 27 Sep 2018)

Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport
St. Kitts Meteorological Services
St. Christopher Air & Sea Port Authority
P.O. Box 963
Basseterre
St. Kitts

Tel: 869 465 2749 Tele- fax: 869 465 9122

Weather Bulletin
WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5AM ECT THU, SEP 27, 2018

THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

KIRK NEARING THE LESSER ANTILLES

AT 5 AM AST (0900 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KIRK WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 13.5 NORTH, LONGITUDE 58.3 WEST OR 341 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS ( APPROXIMATELY 390 SOUTHEAST OF ST. KITTS AND NEVIS) AND 517 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

KIRK IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH, AND THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES, MOSTLY NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1002 MB (29.59 INCHES).

KIRK WILL CONTINUE ON A PATH TOWARDS THE WINDWARD ISLANDS AND ON THIS TRACK, THE CENTER AND ITS ASSOCIATED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WILL PASS AT A SAFE ENOUGH DISTANCE SOUTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS EARLY FRIDAY. NO TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS OR WATCHES ARE REQUIRED AT THIS TIME FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS; HOWEVER SPIRAL BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM ARE LIKELY TO BRING CLOUDY SKIES WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE ISLANDS EARLY FRIDAY. TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH A MAXIMUM OF 3 INCHES IN ISOLATED AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE.

MARINE CONDITIONS WILL FURTHER DETERIORATE LATE ON THURSDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY FRIDAY; HENCE, SMALL CRAFT OWNERS ARE ADVISED TO SECURE THEIR VESSELS WHILE BEACHGOERS SHOULD AVOID THE WATERS STARTING TODAY.

RESIDENTS OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS ARE ADVISED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KIRK UNTIL IT CLEARS THE AREA.