Tropical Storm “Fiona” heading toward the Leeward Islands

Tropical Storm “Fiona” formed at 01:50 UTC on September 15, 2022, as the 6^th named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season. The center of Fiona is expected to move across the Leeward Islands Friday night and early Saturday, and move near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico late Saturday into Sunday.

At 15:00 UTC on September 15, the center of Tropical Storm “Fiona” was located about 800 km (495 miles) E of the Leeward Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).¹

Its maximum sustained winds were about 85 km/h (50 mph), gusting up to 100 km/h (65 mph).

The minimum barometric pressure was 1 002 hPa, and the system was moving west at 22 km/h (14 mph).

A westward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected to continue through late Saturday, September 17, with a turn toward the west-northwest possible on Sunday.

On the forecast track, the center of Fiona is expected to move across the Leeward Islands Friday night and early Saturday, and move near the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico late Saturday into Sunday.

Tropical storm conditions are expected across portions of the northern Leeward Islands within the warning area beginning Friday evening.

Heavy rains from Fiona will reach the northern Leeward Islands Friday afternoon, spreading to the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico Saturday into Sunday morning, and reaching eastern Hispaniola Sunday. This rainfall may produce flash and urban flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain.

Fiona is expected to move near the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola this weekend and early next week, and watches will likely be issued for some of those areas later today.

References:

¹ Tropical Storm Fiona Advisory Number 5 – NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL – 1100 AM AST Thu Sep 15 2022

Featured image: Tropical Storm “Fiona” at 16:10 UTC on September 15, 2022. Credit: NOAA/GOES-16, RAMMB/CIRA, The Watchers