St. Kitts & Nevis – September 3, 2009 (WINN FM):  Tropical Storm Erika is passing a bit further away from St. Kitts and Nevis than was projected Wednesday evening.  Winds remain higher than usual this morning but roads are already drying out, with just a few puddles here and there.

However, the storm warning remains in effect for St. Kitts and Nevis as well as Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Maarten. St. Barthelemy, Saba, St. Eustatius, Dominica and Guadeloupe.

“We fared very well,” the National Disaster Coordinator on St. Kitts, Mr. Carl Herbert told WINN FM Thursday morning.

“The storm has twisted more southwards, so it pulled it…further away from us, but there’s still moisture in the atmosphere.  We did receive some showers…at various intervals.  So we fared well but because of moisture in the atmosphere we expect to have showers off and on during the day.”

Mr. Herbert said he fully expected it to be business as usual in St. Kitts and Nevis today. 

“We have not received any reports at all, and so there’s no indication that the roads have been blocked, nothing of the sort, so we expect work to continue.”

He said however, that rain was expected to fall periodically during the day, so continued to advise that persons be very careful as they travelled, cautioning that they do not cross running ghauts or other water courses.

 “Thank God the storm is weakening so that’s good news,” the National Disaster Coordinator said. 

WINN FM was unable to contact the Director of Nevis Disaster Management Department Thursday morning, but unofficial reports indicate that Nevis too appeared to have fared well overnight.

The Antigua Meteorological Office is forecasting that the presence of Erica would continue to destabilize the weather across the Leewards today.

Residents of St. Kitts and Nevis can expect overcast skies with moderate to heavy showers and thunderstorms today, becoming cloudy tonight into tomorrow with scattered to moderate showers and possible thunderstorms.

Residents in low-lying and flood prone areas should guard against flash flooding.

Winds are south-east to southerly at 14-22kts gusting to 35kts today, becoming south-easterly at 12-20kts with higher gusts in showers tonight into tomorrow.

Seas are rough with waves 2.8-3.7m or 9-12ft. Small craft operators should continue to stay in port until the all clear is given.

A tropical storm watch remains in effect for Puerto Rico, the US and the British Virgin Islands.  Interests in the Dominican Republic and Haiti are being advised to monitor the Progress of Erika.

At 500AM the center of poorly-organized storm was located near latitude 16.5 north, longitude 62.7 west or about 85 miles west of Guadeloupe and about 260

Miles east-southeast of San Juan Puerto Rico.

Erika is moving toward the west-northwest near 7 mph.  This motion is expected to continue for the next day or two with Some increase in forward speed.  On the forecast track, the weather associated with Erika will continue to move through the

Leeward islands this morning and approach the US and British Virgin islands and Puerto Rico later today.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts.  Gradual weakening is likely during the next couple of days.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 230 miles from the center.

Erika is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 2 to 4 inches over much of the lesser Antilles with isolated maximum amounts of 6 inches possible. 

Photo by T. Frederick 03/09/09