Fresh warnings and watches have been issued this evening as Tropical Storm Earl moves quickly westward toward the Leeward Islands.

Earl remains a strong tropical storm and is predicted to become a hurricane in the next 12 to 24 hours.  His winds are averaging 100km/h.  Hurricane status is 120km/h sustained.

Earl is strengthening and Hurricane watches and warnings have just been issued.

Earl, indicated in the box, is moving west and could affect a number of nations.  Hurricane Danielle, clearly seen above Earl with an “eye” is moving away from Bermuda and out into the Atlantic away from land.  It’s too early to know if the remnants of Danielle will affect the UK in the coming week or so – WeatherWatch.co.nz

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WATCHES AND WARNINGS – From the National Hurricane Center
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THE GOVERNMENTS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA HAVE ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR ANTIGUA…BARBUDA…MONTSERRAT…ST. KITTS…NEVIS…AND ANGUILLA.

THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH FOR ST. MAARTEN…SABA…AND ST. EUSTATIUS.

THE GOVERNMENT OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS.

A HURRICANE WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR PUERTO RICO AND THE U. S. VIRGIN ISLANDS…INCLUDING THE ISLANDS OF CULEBRA AND VIEQUES.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* ANTIGUA…BARBUDA…MONTSERRAT…ST. KITTS…NEVIS…AND ANGUILLA

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* ST. MAARTEN…SABA…ST. EUSTATIUS
* BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
* U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
* PUERTO RICO INCLUDING THE ISLANDS OF CULEBRA AND VIEQUES

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* SAINT MARTIN AND SAINT BARTHELEMY
* ST. MAARTEN…SABA…ST. EUSTATIUS

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS…CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.

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 WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
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AT 1100 PM AST…0300 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.6 NORTH…LONGITUDE 55.4 WEST. EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 20 MPH…32 KM/HR…AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ON SUNDAY. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF EARL COULD PASS NEAR OR OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS
SUNDAY NIGHT OR MONDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH…100 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS…AND EARL IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE ON SUNDAY.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES…260 KM FROM THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 989 MB…29.21 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
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WIND…HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARD
ISLANDS BY SUNDAY NIGHT. HURRICANE CONDITIONS MAY SPREAD OVER THE
VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT.

STORM SURGE…STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE
NORMAL TIDE LEVELS…ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING
WAVES…NEAR THE CENTER OF EARL.

RAINFALL…EARL IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS
OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS…WITH
POSSIBLE MAXIMUM ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 8 INCHES.