Tammy is now a Cat 1 hurricane. Here are the warnings and what the forecast track shows
Hurricane Tammy is still marching closer to the Leeward Islands, soon to bring heavy rains and flooding over much of the Lesser Antilles, the National Hurricane Center said Friday night.
Tammy turned Category 1 early in the afternoon and will remain at that intensity for the rest of the week, forecasters say. It’ll grow a little stronger but won’t reach Category 2 status.
The hurricane is not expected to affect South Florida or anywhere else in the continental United States.
Islands in the eastern Caribbean, however, will experience heavy winds, rains and flooding in the next few days.
Tropical-storm conditions were expected to be felt in portions of the Lesser Antilles late Friday, forecasters said.
Tammy had 75 mph sustained winds with higher gusts as the system moved west-northwest at around 7 mph, the hurricane centers said in its 8 p.m. advisory.
“Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion,” the center said in an earlier advisory.
The Leeward and Westward islands will likely experience heavy rains into Saturday morning. The rainfall is expected to start affecting the British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico early Sunday, forecasters said.
“These rains may produce isolated flash and urban flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain. Swells generated by Tammy will continue to affect portions of the Lesser Antilles during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions,” the center stated.
As of the latest advisory, hurricane-force winds extended about 25 miles from Tammy’s center, with tropical-storm-force winds extending 125 miles.
Watches and warnings
A hurricane warning, meaning hurricane conditions are expected in the next 24 hours, is in effect for: Guadeloupe, Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis.
A hurricane watch, meaning hurricane conditions are possible within 24 hours, was issued for: Dominica, Anguilla, St. Maarten, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.
A tropical-storm watch is in effect for Barbados and Martinique.
This story was originally published October 20, 2023 at 3:43 PM.
