MIAMI – A tropical storm watch is in effect for St. Kitts and Nevis as the National Hurricane Center is monitoring the evolution of a tropical wave which was located about 750 miles, 1,205 km east of the Northern Leeward Islands at 16.0N 52.0W.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Saba and St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, Antigua, Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Anguilla.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, the new tropical wave has a potential of growing to a tropical cyclone in the next few hours.

The most recent report for the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, showers and thunderstorms have become more concentrated today in association with this incoming tropical wave.

The depression has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph/55 kmh; its present movement is west northwest at 21 mph/33 kmh.

This motion is expected to continue for the next few days. On the forecast track, the depression is expected to move near or north of the northern Leeward Islands by late Friday and near or north of the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Saturday.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

Interests elsewhere in the northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico should monitor the progress of this system, as additional tropical storm watches or warnings will be required for portions of those areas later today.

Hazards affecting land

The depression is expected to produce 1 to 3 inches of rain with isolated maximum totals of 5 inches over the northern Leeward Islands and maximum totals of 3 to 6 inches over Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through Sunday.

Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area by late Friday.

Showers and thunderstorms continue to become better organized in association with a tropical wave and accompanying broad area of low pressure over the central Caribbean Sea. Satellite imagery suggests that the circulation is becoming better defined and if these development trends continue, a tropical depression is likely to form today or tonight as the system approaches the northwestern Caribbean Sea.