Occasional cloudy skies and scattered showers are forecast across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) during the next 48 hours as a weak tropical wave inches closer to the island chain to affect SVG by tonight.
As of 8:50 am this morning, Tropical Depression Seven (7) has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Gonzalo with maximum sustained winds near 45 mph. Additional strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days, and Gonzalo is expected to become a hurricane by Thursday.
By late Thursday night into the weekend, showers associated with Gonzalo will spread across SVG. Heavy showers and gusty winds are forecast on Saturday as the centre of Gonzalo passes near SVG. Model guidance is indicating in excess of 80mm (~ 3 inches) of rainfall accumulation by late Saturday night. The necessary watches or warnings will be issued.
A moderate wind flow (15km/h to 35km/h) will continue into Friday, and then north easterly strong (50km/h) winds with higher gust will begin to move across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines from late Friday.
Slight to moderate sea conditions with swells peaking to 1.0m on the western coasts and 2.0m on the eastern coasts are forecast up to Friday with sea conditions deteriorating from Friday night.