Weather Forecast for the SSS Islands valid until Wednesday midday 12:00 hours. September 1, 2010.
Issued: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 11:00 A.S.T. (15:00 U.T.C.)

...AS MAYOR HURRICANE EARL EXITS THE NE CARIBBEAN,
TROPICAL STORM FIONA IS DASHING TOWARDS THE ISLANDS...

...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT
FOR THE SSS ISLANDS DUE TO THE APPROACH OF TS FIONA...

...A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES IN EFFECT
FOR THE LOCAL WATERS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE...

Weather:
Today through Wednesday morning: Partly cloudy with a passing shower possible. Later tonight becoming partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.

Forecast high will be 30°C, 88 °F. and low 24 °C, 75 °F.
Sunrise will occur at 5:58 A.M. and Sunset at 6:27 P.M.

Winds:
Today: South to Southeast and mainly moderate to fresh 10 to 20 miles per hour, occasionally higher in gusts.
Tonight through Wednesday midday: Easterly, becoming Northeasterly 5 to 15 miles per hour with possible gusts to 25 miles per hour.

Synopsis: Major hurricane Earl continues moving away from the North Eastern Caribbean region. During the passage of hurricane Earl the maximum gust measured at the airports of St Eustatius and St. Maarten were respectively 67 miles and 68 miles per hour. The total rainfall amount measured at the Juliana Airport between Sunday evening and Monday evening was 117.2 mm.
A drier air mass ahead of tropical storm Fiona will influence the local weather today maintaining the area mainly partly cloudy with a chance of a few passing showers. Tropical storm Fiona is moving in a west northwest direction and is expected to reach the Northeastern Caribbean islands by Wednesday. Cloudiness and shower activity will increase late Tuesday evening through Wednesday as Fiona approaches the northeastern Caribbean. Winds on the SSS islands will become northerly and gradually shift to the northwest. The wind speed will increase to possible in mainly gusts in or near thundershowers. Seas could become rough on mainly east and north facing showers.

Sea conditions: Fairly rough in West to Southwesterly waves induced by Earl. The highest waves will be in breakers on the South and West coasts with waves in the range of 5 to 8 feet. A Small Craft Advisory continues in effect during this forecast period. Mariners are advised to stay in port and not venture over sea and keep their vessels securely moored.

Tropical weather systems: Major hurricane Earl is moving away from the Northeastern Caribbean into the Atlantic. Tropical storm Fiona is moving rapidly in a westerly direction towards the Northeastern Caribbean and is expected to pass Northeast of St. Maarten somewhere late at night on Wednesday or early Thursday. The Meteorological Service of the NA & A continues to monitor the development of all these systems closely. Residents are advised to continue monitoring the further progress of Tropical storm Fiona. For more information please visit our web page at: http://www.weather.an/cyclones/index.asp .

Special Features: None.

Outlook until Thursday midday: Partly to mostly cloudy with isolated showers and possible thunderstorms. Locally showers could become heavy.

Forecaster: Thomas.

The next weather forecast will be issued on Tuesday at 17:00 A.S.T. (21:00 UTC ).

http://www.meteo.an.