Tropical Storm Watch Issued Across Caribbean Islands

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has raised the forecast chances for a tropical wave in the Atlantic to evolve into the season’s next tropical depression or storm. The system, which has been gathering strength since Thursday, is now positioned in the central tropical Atlantic, roughly midway between the Cape Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles.

As of 8 a.m. on Saturday, the tropical wave, now officially named Potential Tropical Cyclone Five, was projected to become the third hurricane of the 2024 season. The NHC predicts that the system will develop into a tropical depression by early Monday morning and potentially intensify into Tropical Storm Ernesto shortly thereafter.

Currently moving west-northwest at 21 mph, Potential Tropical Cyclone Five is located approximately 950 miles southeast of Antigua. It has sustained winds of 30 mph and a central pressure of 1010 millibars. The system’s expansive stretch of showers and thunderstorms has grown more organized, prompting a series of tropical storm watches across the Caribbean.

In response to the impending threat, several governments across the Caribbean have issued Tropical Storm Watches, signaling the potential for tropical storm conditions within 48 hours. The affected areas include Guadeloupe, St. Martin, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

The Tropical Storm Watches highlight the growing concern for residents in these areas, who are advised to stay vigilant as the system advances. Interests in the Leeward Islands, British and U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico are also encouraged to monitor the storm’s progress closely, with additional watches potentially being issued tonight or early Monday.

As Potential Tropical Cyclone Five continues on its west-northwest trajectory, it is poised to become Tropical Storm Ernesto in the coming days.