Watches issued as another hurricane threatens battered region

Added by Barbados Today on September 7, 2017.

The government of Antigua has issued a Hurricane Watch for the islands of Antigua and Barbuda as Hurricane Jose churns towards the islands.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the islands of Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Saba and St Eustatius.

Interests elsewhere in the northern Leeward Islands and the Virgin Islands have been urged to monitor the progress of Jose.

At 11 a.m. the center of Hurricane Jose was located near latitude 14.9 North, longitude 50.6 West. Jose 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.

Maximum sustained winds are near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Jose is expected to become a major hurricane on Friday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 80 miles (130 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 986 mb (29.12 inches).