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He National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued this afternoon, Thursday, a tropical storm watch for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands before the possible near passage of tropical depression number 13.
According to the 11:00 pm report, the atmospheric phenomenon maintains maximum winds of 35 miles per hour (mph) and is located at latitude 17.3 degrees north, longitude 56.4 degrees west. At the moment, it is located about 445 miles east of the northern part of the Leeward Islands, and is moving at 22 mph in a west-northwest direction.
On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to move near or north of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands by Saturday.
If it became a tropical storm, the NHC would use the name Laura. The agency expects the weather phenomenon to pass near Puerto Rico’s north-northeast coast sometime on Saturday. The system is still forecast to produce three to six inches of rain over the island.
In addition to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the agency also issued a watch for Saba and Saint Eustatius, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy, Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla.
The meteorologist of the National Meteorological Service (NWS) in San Juan Fernanda Ramos Garces He explained earlier in the day that although it is too premature to take the trajectory of this system with certainty, weather models insist the island could receive stormy conditions starting Saturday morning.
He urged, in turn, that the public not lower their guard and remain attentive to the development of this system that, regardless, will leave a wide episode of heavy rains on the island.
“The forecast anticipates accumulations of rain between three to six inches, and in isolated areas it could be more. From what we see so far, these rains could begin, for the most part, as of 8:00 am on Saturday “, advancement.
“The most important thing is not to lower your guard. Today is a crucial day to be aware of these warnings, “said the meteorologist.
Tropical depression 14 is close to becoming a storm
For its part, Tropical Depression 14 could reach tropical storm status sometime tomorrow, Friday, the NHC added.
The atmospheric phenomenon with sustained winds of 35 mph is located about 100 miles east-southeast of Cabo Gracias, on the border between Nicaragua and Honduras.
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