Tropical Storm Watch Discontinued For Territory; Up To 4 Inches Of Rain Expected Starting This Afternoon, Mapp Calls Press Conference

Update 1: Governor Kenneth Mapp has cancelled today’s 10:00 a.m. press conference, according to a press release from Government House. The release, which was issued around 9:40 a.m., stated that any information regarding Danny will be dispensed through VITEMA.

Earlier…

The Tropical Storm watch for the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra has been discontinued, VITEMA has announced. Governor Kenneth Mapp has also announced a press conference for 10:00 a.m. this morning at Government House in Christiansted, St. Croix.

At 11 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Danny was located near latitude 15.6 degrees north, longitude 59.8 degrees west. Danny is moving toward the west near 15 miles per hour, and a westward to west-northwestward motion is expected over the next 48 hours.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 miles per hour with higher gusts. Weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Danny is expected to become a tropical depression on Monday, and become a remnant low Monday night or Tuesday.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles to the northeast of the center.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Montserrat, St. Kitts, and Nevis and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Saba and St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.

According to the National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office at San Juan, the USVI will begin experiencing heavy showers associated with the outer bands of the system early Monday afternoon, and more frequently in the evening hours and overnight on Tuesday. The system is expected to clear the USVI by Tuesday afternoon, although some lingering showers may occur.

On its current track, the center of the system will make it closest approach at 7 p.m. Monday about 80 miles south of St. Croix and at approximately 110 miles south of St. Thomas and St. John.

Rainfall amounts are expected to be in the 2 to 4 inch range across all the islands through Tuesday.

Marine conditions expected: 6 to 7 feet with occasional seas up 10 feet and winds between 20 and 25 knots with higher gusts mainly in squalls.