Tropical Wave Less Organized But Still Expected To Bring Heavy Rains, Winds On Wednesday

Invest 99 L — a tropical wave located about 400 miles east-southeast of the US Virgin Islands or 450 miles east-southeast of the Puerto Rico — is now less organized but remains forecasted to bring showers, thunderstorms and heavy winds to the US Virgin Islands on Wednesday, the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency announced late Tuesday.

According to the National Weather Service at San Juan, weather conditions will quickly deteriorate late tonight as squally weather reaches the USVI and eastern Puerto Rico. Showers and thunderstorms are forecasted to begin impacting the USVI on Wednesday morning with the core of the weather system, the heaviest rainfall, expected Wednesday afternoon.

Estimated rainfall amount is 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts. A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for the USVI from 2 a.m. to midnight on Wednesday.

The system is producing sustained winds of 20 miles per hour with gusts of up to 30 to 40 miles per hour embedded in the thunderstorms.

Seas are forecast to be 5 to 7 feet with occasional seas 8 to 9 feet across the Atlantic waters. Sustained winds of 20 to 25 knots with locally higher gusts are also expected. The highest seas are expected over the Atlantic offshore waters. There is a moderate to high risk of rip currents along the Atlantic Coastlines.

Based on the latest guidance, conditions should improve on Thursday afternoon into Friday.

At 3 pm today, VITEMA and FEMA-Region 2 officials were briefed on Invest 99 L and Tropical Storm Gaston by the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service at San Juan. Tropical Storm Gaston poses no threat to land. VITEMA will continue to closely monitor Invest 99 L and, along with other critical support departments and agencies, will remain on high alert for potential flooding. FEMA Region 2 has deployed a Federal Liaison Officer who is currently on the ground in the USVI.

VITEMA Director Mona Barnes is encouraging the public, especially those in flood prone zones, to also closely monitor weather reports.