ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:00 PM ECT SAT SEP 2 2017
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES IS CLOSELY FOLLOWING THE PROGRESS OF HURRICANE STORM IRMA LOCATED ABOUT 1135 MILES EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS OR ABOUT 1190 MILES EAST-NORTH EAST OF ST. KITTS. IRMA HAS INCREASED IN FORWARD SPEED AND IS NOW MOVING AT 15 MPH.
THE HURRICANE REMAINS AT CATEGORY TWO STATUS WITH MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 110 MPH, BUT IT IS FORECAST TO RETURN TO A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE BEFORE IT PASSES OUR AREA.
BASED ON THE LATEST INFORMATION, IRMA IS FORECAST TO MOVE WEST-SOUTHWEST OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS AND THEN RETURN TO A WEST-NORTHWEST TRACK BY TUESDAY.
IF IRMA HOLDS CLOSELY TO THE FORECAST TRACK, THE ISLANDS WILL BE SPARED MOST OF THE DANGEROUS WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE SYSTEM. HOWEVER, IF AFTER TURNING WEST-SOUTHWEST IT DOES NOT RETURN TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST TRACK, VERY HAZARDOUS WEATHER WILL IMPACT THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY.
WE REMAIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE CENTRE OF IRMA WILL PASS TO THE NORTH OF ALL THE ISLANDS AND SPARE US THE WORSE.
TROPICAL CYCLONE WATCHES AND WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED ON SUNDAY AND MONDAY RESPECTIVELY.
RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR IRMA AND BE PREPARED TO EXECUTE THEIR HURRICANE PLANS IF A WARNING IS REQUIRED ON MONDAY.
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