Tropical storm watch issued for Dominica; Maria moves quickly toward the Caribbean

Tropical storm watch issued for Dominica; Maria moves quickly toward the Caribbean

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Thursday September 8, 2011 - The government of Barbados has issued a tropical storm watch for the island of Dominica.

According to the 11 a.m. AST advisory from the National Hurricane Centre (NHC), the system is moving toward the west at 23MPH.

The centre of Tropical Storm Maria is located near latitude 13.0 north longitude 51.2 west or 660 miles east of the Leeward Islands.

According to the latest NHC advisory maximum sustained winds are near 45 MPH with higher gusts.

The 11 a.m. AST National Hurricane Centre report indicates that the system may affect the islands later on Friday.

Estmated minimal central pressure is 1005 MB.

Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray of the Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University report that the 2011 hurricane season has been forecasted to have a well above average probability of United States and Caribbean major hurricane landfall. Track the latest on Tropical Storm Maria in the Storm Centre.

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