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
TROPICAL STORM KIRK ALERT STATEMENT
5:00 AM ECT WED, SEP 26, 2018
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
…..KIRK REGENERATES INTO A TROPICAL STORM OVER THE WESTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC…. TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF THE LESSER ANTILLES……
AT 5AM ECT OR 0900Z THE CENTRE OF TROPICAL STORM KIRK WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 11.8 NORTH, LONGITUDE 52.7 WEST OR ABOUT 615 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND ABOUT 770 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. KIRK IS MOVING TOWARDS THE WEST NEAR 18MPH. A WESTWARD TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, KIRK IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH BARBADOS AND THE NORTHERN WINDWARD ISLANDS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND MOVE INTO THE CARIBBEAN SEA BY FRIDAY MORNING.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST UNTIL KIRK MOVES THROUGH THE CENTRAL LESSER ANTILLES THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. RAPID WEAKENING IS EXPECTED ON FRIDAY AFTER KIRK EMERGES OVER THE CARIBBEAN SEA.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARDS UP TO 115 MILES FROM THE CENTRE.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1004 MB OR 29.65 INCHES.
BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION, KIRK IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE LEEWARDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. HOWEVER WE DO ANTICIPATE HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THESE ISLANDS DURING ITS PASSAGE LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1-3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE LEEWARDS AND BVI DURING THAT TIME. INTERESTS IN THESE ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KIRK.
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED AT 11AM.