A disturbance moving across the Atlantic Ocean is forecast to become a tropical storm either Wednesday night or early Thursday morning.
As a result, a tropical storm watch remains in effect for Barbados as it moves west northwest at 21 miles per hour (33kmh) with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph or 55 kmh.
This motion is expected to continue with an increase in forward speed over the next couple days.
At 8 p.m. Wednesday, Potential Tropical Cyclone #5 was located near latitude 9.6N longitude, 44.6W or about 1 025 miles (1 650km) east of Barbados. As a result, a tropical storm watch remains in effect for Barbados.
A tropical storm watch is issued when sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39-73 mph; 63-118 kmh) associated with a tropical storm or hurricane are forecast to affect Barbados within 48 hours. In this case, as early as Friday morning.
Rainfall accumulations of 6 to 8 inches are forecast across Barbados on Friday and watches or warnings for flash-flooding may be issued from Thursday evening. A marine advisory is also in effect for the island.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe and the Windward and southern Leeward Islands could experience tropical-storm conditions on Friday.
Interests elsewhere in the Windward Islands, Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti should monitor the progress of this system. Warnings and additional watches will likely be required tonight and on Thursday. (PR/SAT)
