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
WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL CYCLONE INFORMATION STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5AM ECT THU, SEP 28, 2018
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.
AT 5 AM (0900 UTC)THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KIRK WAS LOCATED OVER THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA NEAR LATITUDE 13.2 NORTH, LONGITUDE 62.5 WEST OR ABOUT 217 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND 331 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.
KIRK CONTINUES TO MOVE TOWARDS THE WEST AT NEAR 12 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.
HIGHLY UNFAVORABLE UPPER LEVEL WINDS ARE FORECAST TO CAUSE KIRK TO WEAKEN TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION LATER TODAY OR SATURDAY AND THEN DEGENERATE INTO A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF KIRK WILL MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB OR 29.68 INCHES.
AT THIS TIME THERE ARE NO WARNINGS OR WATCHES BEING ISSUED FOR THE LEEWARD AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS AS KIRK CONTINUES ON ITS WESTWARD PATH. HOWEVER, SPIRAL BANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM ARE LIKELY TO BRING CLOUDY TO OVERCAST SKIES WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY SHOWERS, THUNDERSTORMS AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE ISLANDS LATER TODAY. TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATION OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.
ADDITIONALLY, A SMALL CRAFT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT WHILE A HIGH SURF ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR BEACHGOERS AGAINST HAZARDOUS SEA CONDITIONS.
RESIDENTS OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS ARE ADVISED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF KIRK UNTIL IT EXITS THE AREA.