BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ST. KITTS AND NEVIS has been placed under a Tropical Storm Watch as Hurricane Jose barrels its way across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Leeward Islands.
The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Anguilla, Montserrat and St. Kitts and Nevis, while the Government of the Netherlands has issued similar warnings for Saba and St. Eustatius.
Antigua and Barbuda, however, is under a Hurricane Watch.
The National Hurricane Center in its 11:00 a.m. report puts the center of Hurricane Jose near latitude 14.9 North, longitude 50.6 West, and it is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph (30 km/h).
The hurricane is expected to continue on this heading, with a slight decrease in forward speed during the next couple of days.
It has maximum sustained winds near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts, and strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours as Jose is expected to become a major hurricane tomorrow (Sept. 8).
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km).
The estimated minimum central pressure is 986 mb (29.12 inches).
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
