by Staff Writer
St Kitts and Nevis (WINN): Antigua and Barbuda – based Met Officer Dale Destin is predicting extreme wind and marine events across the northeast Caribbean, including Antigua and Barbuda. According to Mr. Destin “the howling wind event will take place Thursday – New Year’s Eve, through Saturday – January 2, whereas the life-threatening marine event will take place New Year’s Eve night through Sunday, January 3. Warnings and advisories for strong winds, rough seas, and high surfs will be required for most islands.
According to the meteorologist, gale-force gusts, the equivalent to tropical-storm-force gusts, are likely – gusts exceeding 78 km/h (over 48 mph). Otherwise, the winds will frequently be above 40 km/h (over 25 mph). The maximum sustained 10-minute wind speeds will likely reach around 50 km/h (31 mph), whereas the maximum sustained 1-minute winds will reach around 56 km/h (35 mph). The strongest winds are forecast for New Year’s Day, especially across open waters, windward coastal areas, and elevated places. The prevailing wind direction will be northeast.
