VITEMA Urges Readiness as Tropical System Forecast to Pass Near V.I.

Residents should prepare now as a tropical system is forecast to pass about 350 miles northeast of St. John on Friday or Saturday, V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director Daryl Jaschen said Monday.

Speaking at the weekly Government House press briefing, Jaschen said the system, currently named Invest 91L, is likely to become a tropical depression and bring rain and ocean swells to the territory, though it is too early to predict wind impacts, he said.

“A tropical depression is likely to form later this week” as the disturbance moves slowly westward and then west-northwest at 5 to 10 mph toward the adjacent waters of the northern Leeward Islands, said Jaschen.

“VITEMA is watching Invest 91L closely, and according to our discussion with the National Weather Service in Puerto Rico this morning, the current track will pass on Friday or Saturday approximately 350 miles northeast of St. John and may produce some impact from ocean swells,” said Jaschen.

“It is still too early to provide any details on anticipated winds or rainfall accumulations, but some rainfall is anticipated,” he said. Formation chance through the next five days is high, at 80 percent, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Another tropical wave is forecast to move off the west coast of Africa on Monday night, or early Tuesday, said Jaschen. “Some gradual development of this system is possible at this time while it moves generally westward and westward-northwestward across the far eastern tropical Atlantic,” he said.

“This is a normal occurrence this time of year, and VITEMA and the National Weather Service in Puerto Rico will continue to monitor,” said Jaschen.