Chris nearing hurricane strength - hurricane watches issued

TS Chris at 10:45 AM August 2, 2006 (Photo: NOAA)

Bridgetown, Barbados, August 2, 2006 - Tropical Storm Chris has side-stepped the northern Leeward Islands and put The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands on a hurricane watch. The French and Dutch West Indies have discontinued the tropical storm warning for St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, and St. Maarten while a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Anguilla, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, and the British Virgin Islands.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Centre in Miami say that strong rain bands on the southern side of Chris are expected to impact the USVI and BVI later tonight.

The British Virgin Islands has re-opened all Government offices this morning. The main threat is from flooding and residents have been urged to take the necessary precautions for what is expected to be up to eight inches of rain.

"Keeping in mind the imminent flood hazard that will be associated with this system, residents in low-lying, flood prone areas are advised to make necessary arrangement to secure self and property", Director of Disaster Management f the BVI Sharleen DaBreo said.

The Met Office in St Maarten reported that the center of the storm passed just north of the island. Rainfall was widespread over the island, with gusts in some heavier showers, mainly over the northern part of the island. It said that shower activity may still occur over the island during the next 24 hours due to rain bands extending from the tropical storm occasionally accompanied by gusty winds.
 
Governor of St Maarten Mathias Voges said Tropical Storm Chris was a good exercise demonstrating the preparedness at the public and private sector levels.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the public servants and private companies that worked along with some of the Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) especially the Public Works Department (ROB) who worked diligently for hours to make sure that all waterways were free from debris and other obstructions with respect to possible flooding.  The proactive approach taken by all ESFs that have been involved in preparing for the threat of Tropical Storm Chris went very well and one can consider this being an exercise for our first storm of the hurricane season.  I would like to remind residents that we should always, 'Prepare Early: Better Safe than Sorry,'  as the Office of Disaster Management & Preparedness theme says," said Governor Voges.

Chris has strengthened slightly to 65 miles per hour, just on the verge of becoming a Category One hurricane but is not expected to achieve that strength until Friday morning.

The Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas islands including the Acklins, Crooked Island, the
Inaguas, Mayaguana, and the Ragged Islands are on a hurricane watch which means that hurricane force conditions may affect them within 36 hours.

At 1100 am Tropical Storm Chris was located near latitude 19.2 north and longitude 63.4 west or about 120
miles east-northeast of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Island. The cyclone is moving west-northwest near 10 mph with maximum sustained winds of near 65 miles per hour with higher gusts. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 75 miles from the center. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1001 mb.

Another Air Force hurricane hunter plane will investigate Chris this afternoon.

Computer models are not agreeing on where Chris is likely to go. One model is showing a west-southwest turn hile others are showing a westward turn and other a west-northwest.

Since 1982 there were four other tropical storms named Chris with one becoming a hurricane. On each occasions Chris remained mild-mannered. The last occasion in 2000 saw Chris forming in the general vicinity as the 2006 Chris.