As of Friday. August 21st at 12 PM….
TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ISSUED FOR THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO…
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* British Virgin Islands
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* St. Maarten
* St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
* Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* The northern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Cabron to the border with Haiti
* The northern coast of Haiti from Le Mole St. Nicholas to the
border with the Dominican Republic
* The southeastern Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos Islands
Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of
the warning area area later today through Saturday. Tropical storm conditions are possible within portions of the watch area Saturday night and early Sunday. Interests in Cuba and the remainder of the Bahamas should monitor the progress of Laura.
At 11 a.m. AST, the center of Tropical Storm Laura was located over the Atlantic Ocean about 210 miles (335 km) east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands. It’s moving toward the west near 18 mph (30 km/h) and a generally west-northwestward motion at a faster forward speed is expected
over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move near or over the northern Leeward Islands later today, near or over Puerto Rico Saturday morning, and near the northern coast of Hispaniola late Saturday and early Sunday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km) from the center. Some slow strengthening is forecast to occur during the next 48 hours.
Laura is expected to produce 3 to 6 inches of rain over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and the southern Haitian Peninsula through Sunday. Maximum amounts up to 8 inches are possible along eastern portions and the southern slopes of Puerto Rico, as well as over Haiti and the Dominican Republic. This heavy rainfall could lead to flash and urban flooding, as well as an increased potential for mudslides with minor river flooding in Puerto Rico. 1 to 3 inches of rain with isolated maximum totals of 5 inches is expected over the remainder of Haiti, the northern Leeward Islands, the Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas.
The details of the long-range track and intensity forecasts remain more uncertain than usual since Laura is forecast to move near or over portions of the Greater Antilles through Monday. However, Laura could bring storm surge, rainfall, and wind impacts to portions of Cuba, the Bahamas, and Florida early next week and the northeast U.S. Gulf Coast by the middle of next week. Interests there should monitor the progress of Laura and updates to the forecast over the next few days.
The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 5 p.m. AST with an intermediate advisory at 2 p.m. AST – www.hurricanes.gov