MIAMI — Tropical Storm Fiona, which officially formed as the sixth named system of the season in the Atlantic on Wednesday night, has triggered wakes in parts of the Leeward Islands.
Tropical Storm Fiona was located about 625 miles east of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph while moving west-northwest at 14 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) bulletin as of 1 a.m. ET Thursday.
Fiona is expected to produce rainfall accumulations of 3 to 5 inches overall in the northern Leeward Islands, British and US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and eastern Hispaniola, with a maximum total of 8 inches. These rains can cause isolated lightning and flooding in cities, as well as isolated landslides in areas of larger terrain.
NOTICES, CLOCKS AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT
A tropical storm watch applies to:
- Saba and Saint Eustatius
- San Martin
- Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat and Anguilla
The NHC is advising residents of the northern Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola to monitor the progress of this system as additional tropical storm warnings or warnings are issued for parts of those areas on Thursday.
The Dutch government has issued a tropical storm warning for Saba and Sint Eustatius. The St. Maarten government has issued a tropical storm warning for St. Maarten. The Antigua government has issued a tropical storm warning for Montserrat, Antigua, Barbuda, St Kitts, Nevis and the island of Anguilla.
HOW THE SEASON RUNS IN THE ATLANTIC
The 2022 hurricane season was relatively calm, with several weeks without systems, and the few that did occur did not cause major damage.
Hurricane Earl, which reached Category 2 in the middle of the Atlantic, claimed around 40 lives in various states in Mexico; Danielle became the first Atlantic hurricane of the season.
Forming ahead of them in the current Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1, are storms Alex, Bonnie, and Colin.