Tropical Storm Harvey moving across the Windward Islands

Tropical Storm Harvey is taking effect across the eastern Caribbean.

Tropical storm warnings are in place for St Vincent and the Grenadines, Martinique and St Lucia. The warning for Barbados has been discontinued. A tropical storm watch is effecting Dominica.

What was labelled ‘potential tropical cyclone nine’ was downgraded – but the weather is still causing issues for the region.

The latest update from the Miami-based National Hurricane Center records the storm as moving west at 18mph (30kmph), with an increase in westward speed expected over the next couple of days.

The is predicted that TS Harvey will move through the Windward Islands and into the Caribbean Sea’s eastern section later today (Friday).

While this occurs, maximum sustained winds remain near 40mph (65kmph), with tropical storm-force winds extending outwards up to 60 miles (95km).

Conditions

Barbados Meteorological Service is predicting the centre of TS Harvey to pass the island around 8am local time. Overnight sources on the ground said that lightening had hit a pylon in the Haggat Hall area, knocking out electricity. Dominica’s meteorological service last reported moderate to rough conditions in open water, with a small craft warning in effect for rough seas and high winds expected today.

Overnight Dominica saw gusts, showers and cloudiness – which was the picture for most of the islands in the chain.

The prime minister of St Lucia, Allen Chastanet, has said that all businesses, including government departments should remain closed until 1pm local time as the storm is expected to intensify over the next two hours.

The 1pm deadline is conditional to the island  being given the all-clear by 12pm.

MaClean Jn Baptiste, meteorologist at the St Lucia Meteorological Service, said they are closely monitoring the system.

Residents are advised to keep away from beaches, the forecaster added.

WIC News has been unable to confirm the amount of rainfall experienced so far but two to five inches was expected from Grenada to Martinique. Although streets have been flooded in Barbados, no additional reports of mudslides of serious flooding have reached WIC News HQ.

Following the path of TS Harvey is another disturbance. The National Hurricane Center is believes this wave has a 70% chance of developing into a cyclone in the next 48 hours.