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 ISAAC WATCH STATEMENT
6 AM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2018
THIS IS FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS NEARING THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.
GUSTY CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGHOUT TODAY.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IS EFFECT FOR ST KITTS AND NEVIS.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE SPECIFIED AREA, IN THIS CASE WITHIN A FEW HOURS.
AT 0500 AM AST (0900 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ISAAC WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 59.7 WEST OR 238 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ST KITTS AND NEVIS.
ISAAC IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 17 MPH (31 KM/H), AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, ISAAC IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE CENTRAL LESSER ANTILLES AND INTO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA LATER TODAY, AND THEN MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL CARIBBEAN SEA THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
DATA FROM A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45MPH (85 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGHT IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AS ISAAC MOVES THROUGH THE LEEWARD ISLANDS, GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST AFTERWARDS.
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER.
DATA FROM THE AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1006 MB (29.71 INCHES).
BASED UPON THE LATEST INFORMATION, TROPICAL STORM ISAAC IS WEAKENING AND MAY EVEN DEGENERATE INTO AN OPEN TROUGH TOMORROW. NOTWITHSTANDING HOWEVER THE EFFECTS FROM THIS SYSTEM WILL BE FELT OVER ST. KITTS AND NEVIS DURING THE COURSE OF TODAY AND THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR OUR ISLANDS. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MILES PER HOUR ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSAGE OF ISAAC. THIS MEANS THAT SMALL AND LOOSE OBJECTS MUST BE SECURED.
RAINFALL TOTAL OF UP TO AN INCH IS POSSIBLE MAKING NAVIGATION DIFFICULT AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FLOODING ADVISORIES MAY BECOME NECESSARY.
SEAS WILL DETERIORATE WITH A COMBINATION OF WIND DRIVEN WAVES AND SWELLS PEAKING NEAR 3.7 METRES OR 12 FEET. SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD STAY IN PORT AND SEA BATHERS SHOULD AVOID THE BEACHES UNTIL ISAAC EXITS THE AREA.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AT 11 AM.