Tropical wave may be very close by Monday

The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) said it, as well as the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Services, is monitoring a number of weather events, especially an approaching tropical wave and an area of disturbed weather in the far eastern Atlantic.

“The approaching tropical wave is projected to be in the vicinity of the Virgin Islands around Monday or early next week, increasing the chance of more showers. This system will be monitored for any sudden changes,” the DDM said in its latest bulletin today, August 12.

Another tropical wave on Monday dumped relatively heavy rainfall across the British Virgin Islands (BVI), causing widespread flooding and landslides.

DDM, in the meantime, said it is also keeping an eye on another area of disturbed weather located along longitude 25 degrees west, and moving west near 20 miles per hour.

“Gradual development of this system is possible as it tracks west to west-northwest. It has a 30 percent chance of development. If the system were to reach the Lesser Antilles, it would take about 7 days to do so. Most of our model data suggest it will track north of the islands. However, it remains too early to determine whether or not it will miss the islands to the north,” the disaster management agency further said.

It also stated that it will not release any further update on the tropical wave, Invest 99L, which continues to move away from the BVI.

“Invest 99L is along longitude 68 degrees west. It is about 300 miles north of Hispaniola. The system has been moving to the west-north-west over the last few days. However, a more northerly track is expected by Sunday. The disturbance has a 60 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm by early next week,” added the DDM.