Tropical Storm Fiona is on track to threaten the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. The sixth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed Wednesday night.
The US National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm warnings for the easternmost islands of the Caribbean. “The Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico should monitor the progress of this system,” the Center announced.
According to forecasters, at 8 am Thursday Fiona was moving at 13 mph (20 kph) with maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph (85 kph), forecasters said. A small change in strength is forecast over the next few days.
As of 8 pm today, Fiona was located about 545 miles (875 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands. Tropical storm warnings were issued for Saba and Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Antigua, Barbuda, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla.
It is expected to produce precipitation of 3 to 6 inches with higher amounts in the northern Leeward Islands, the British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and eastern Hispaniola.
Ocean swell should begin to affect the northern Leeward Islands early Friday, causing waves and rip currents that threaten lives and property.
