BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE fifth tropical storm to have formed since the commencement of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season – Tropical Storm (TS) Ernesto - is churning its way through Atlantic Ocean with its centre located near St. Lucia.
The system developed into a TS early yesterday afternoon (August 2) and according to an 8:00 a.m. advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center, the storm was then located near latitude 13.5N and longitude 61.5W.
TS Ernesto is approximately 40 miles west south west of St. Lucia and about 25 miles to the west north west of St. Vincent. It is travelling at a pace of 24 miles per hour and is packing winds of up to 45 miles per hour.
Since last evening, authorities of the Winward Islands have effected tropical storm warnings for their respective territories. These included Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Dominica, Guadeloupe and Martinique, and are expected to experience tropical storm conditions within the next 6-18 hours.
These warnings remain in effect for Dominica, St. Lucia, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Although not directly affected by the weather system, the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis – according to the St. Kitts Meteorological Office – can expect “an increase in moisture and hazardous seas” as it moves through the Winwards.
For now – however – skies are expected to be mainly fair with little or no shower activities. But it is expected that gradual increased cloudiness and scattered showers would be experienced throughout this afternoon and evening.
