Late Wednesday evening (July 22) the government of Barbados issued a Hurricane Watch advisory for the country, as Tropical Storm Gonzalo moves closer to the eastern Caribbean.
Neighbouring island St Vincent and the Grenadines also issued a similar advisory.
Tropical Storm #Gonzalo Advisory 7A: Gonzalo Continues Westward. Hurricane Watch Issued For St. Vincent and the Grenadines. https://t.co/VqHn0u1vgc
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) July 23, 2020
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
Gonzalo is expected to produce total rainfall of 2 to 5 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 7 inches in Barbados and the Windward Islands from Friday night through Sunday night.
Rainfall in Barbados and the Windward Islands could lead to life-threatening flash floods.
According to the Miami based National Hurricane Center (NHC), Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h).
A general westward motion at a faster forward speed is expected today followed by a turn toward the west-northwest on Saturday.
Rainfall of between 1 to 2 inches is also expected for Trinidad and Tobago due to the storm.
Gonzalo is the earliest seventh named storm on record, beating out Kurt which forums during the 2005 hurricane season on July 24.
