TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT STATEMENT
HURRICANE SAM ALERT STATEMENT
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES 5:00 AM ECT MON, SEP 27, 2021
THIS IS FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
…HURRICANE SAM EXPECTED TO REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. STILL EXPECTED TO PASS AT A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE ISLANDS…
A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.
A TROPICAL CYCLONE ALERT MEANS THAT, IN THIS CASE, A HURRICANE IS IN OUR MONITORED AREA. WATCHES AND WARNINGS ARE NOT REQUIRED AT THIS TIME BUT MAY BE NECESSARY IN THE NEXT 72 HOURS.
BASED ON CURRENT INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS, HURRICANE SAM IS STILL EXPECTED TO PASS AT A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS BETWEEN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY WITH LITTLE OR NO WIND AND WEATHER IMPACT TO THE ISLANDS. SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH SAM COULD IMPACT COASTAL AREAS AS EARLY AS WEDNESDAY TO PRODUCE DANGEROUS SURFS AND RIP CURRENTS.
THERE IS A LESSENING CHANCE OF HURRICANE SAM DIRECTLY AFFECTING ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA AND HENCE THE THREAT LEVEL REMAINS LOW. HOWEVER, ANY SIGNIFICANT SHIFT TO THE SOUTH-WEST COULD BRING THE CYCLONE CLOSER TO THE ISLANDS AND ELEVATE THE THREAT LEVEL. HENCE THE NEED FOR RESIDENTS TO STAY ALERT AND VIGILANT IN MONITORING THE PROGRESS OF SAM.
AT 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), THE CENTER OF HURRICANE SAM WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.2 NORTH, LONGITUDE 51.4 WEST OR ABOUT 700 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA.
SAM IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH (13 KM/H) AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED BEGINNING ON THURSDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 130 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SAM IS A CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. LITTLE CHANCE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. THEREAFTER, SOME SLOW WEAKENING IS FORECAST THROUGH MIDWEEK, ALTHOUGH SAM SHOULD REMAIN A MAJOR HURRICANE.
SAM IS A SMALL HURRICANE. HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES (45 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES (165 KM).
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 952 MB (28.12 INCHES).
RESIDENTS ARE AGAIN ASKED TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF HURRICANE SAM.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE AFTER 11AM ECT TODAY
FORECASTER BERNELL SIMON
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