Tropical Storm Durian continues to gain strength as it moves in a west-northwest direction toward the Lesser Antilles. At 11:00 a.m. ET, Dorian was located 135 miles (220 kilometers) ESE of Barbados and 243 miles (395 kilometers) ESE of St. Lucia.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Dorian’s track is to the west-northwest at near 14 mph (22 kph) and this motion is expected to continue through Tuesday night. Minimum Central Pressure is 1002 MB…29.59 inches.
A Hurricane Watch has been issued by the government of St. Lucia for St. Lucia, while the government of France has upgraded the Tropical Storm Watch to a Tropical Storm Warning for Martinique.
“The center of Dorian is expected to pass close to Barbados Monday night or early Tuesday morning before the system crosses the Lesser Antilles and heads into the eastern Caribbean,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said. The storm’s track is forecast to turn toward the northwest on Wednesday.
Dorian is expected to be a hurricane when it passes near or south of Puerto Rico on Wednesday and approach eastern Hispaniola Wednesday night. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 kph) with higher gusts. Dorian is a small tropical cyclone. Tropical-storm-force winds only extend outward up to 45 miles (75 kilometers) from the center.
Be aware of hazards from this storm
Dorian is forecast to produce total rain accumulations of 3 to 8 inches in the Windward Islands from Martinique south to St.
Vincent, including Barbados. There could be isolated amounts of up to 10 inches. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected from the Grenadines, south to Grenada and across Dominica.
As for the Lesser Antilles tonight and early Tuesday morning – expect hurricane conditions. Tropical storm conditions are likely in the warning area by late today. Tropical storm conditions are possible within the tropical storm watch area by tonight or Tuesday.
The swells generated by the storm will be affecting the Lesser Antilles by late today. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
It is important to remember that while Dorian is a small, compact storm, it can still undergo rapid fluctuations in intensity. Should Dorian undergo intensification into a hurricane before reaching the Lesser Antilles, the islands will endure an even greater risk of storm surge flooding and damaging winds.
