Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch for Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda has been placed under a tropical storm warning and a
hurricane watch as Tropical Storm, Tammy, approaches both islands with the
forecast for heavy rainfall and strong winds.
Tropical Storm Tammy strengthened rapidly Thursday morning and is expected to
become a hurricane by Saturday morning, according to the National Hurricane
Center.
The Met Office at the VC Bird International Airport reported that at 8:00 o’clock
Thursday night, the forward movement of the storm had slowed to 10 miles per
hour moving west north-west. The forecaster said the storm had begun the
anticipated turn that they have been expecting. Winds remained roughly at 60 mph
as had been forecast earlier in the day.
The storm is now projected to pass just west of Antigua somewhere between the
islands of Antigua and Montserrat. The Met Office is also predicting heavy rainfall
between 4 to 6 or 4 to 8 inches in some areas. It warns of flooding in low lying
areas and it is advising that persons living in vulnerable areas to move to higher
grounds or take precautionary measures ahead of the storm.
Tammy is forecast to be at or near hurricane intensity when it moves near the
Leeward Islands.
A hurricane watch has been issued for Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat,
St. Kitts, and Nevis. Tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued for
several islands in the Northeastern Caribbean.
Over the weekend, an area of high pressure across the northern Atlantic will begin
to affect Tammy’s path.
After Tammy moves near the Leeward Islands in the Northeastern Caribbean over
the weekend, it is expected to turn more towards the north and then northeast by
early next week, according to the US National Hurricane Center.
Meanwhile, a number of events have been postponed because of the storm and at
least two financial institutions – ECAB and ACB Caribbean – have announced
closures at 11AM today.