WHCA31 TAPA
TROPICAL STORM KAREN ALERT STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
5:14 AM ECT TUE, SEP 24, 2019
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
…KAREN BECOMES A TROPICAL STORM AGAIN SOUTH OF PUERTO RICO…
…HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS EXPECTED ACROSS PUERTO RICO
AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS LATER TODAY…
AT 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM KAREN WAS LOCATED BY THE SAN JUAN DOPPLER RADAR NEAR LATITUDE 16.8
NORTH, LONGITUDE 65.8 WEST OR 206 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. KAREN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 7 MPH (11 KM/H), AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. A NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD MOTION IS FORECAST TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK,
THE CENTER OF KAREN WILL PASS NEAR OR OVER PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS TODAY, AND THEN MOVE OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 40 MPH (65 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.
TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES (130 KM) FROM THE CENTER.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1006 MB (29.71 INCHES).
BASED UPON THE LATEST INFORMATION AND ANALYSES, TROPICAL STORM KAREN IS MOVING TOWARDS THE NORTH AND NO WATCHES OR
WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. EVEN THOUGH THE SYSTEM SHOULD PASS AT A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE
LEEWARDS, CLOUDINESS WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT TWENTY FOUR HOURS. RAINFALL TOTAL OVER THE NEXT TWENTY-FOUR HOURS COULD WELL EXCEED 25.4 MM OR 1 INCH.
SEAS ARE HAZARDOUS AND A SMALL CRAFT AND HIGH SURF ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT.
ALL RESIDENTS IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF TROPICAL STORM KAREN UNTIL SHE COMPLETELY CLEARS THE AREA.
FORECASTER
LETITIA HUMPHREYS
