GREAT BAY:---– St. Maarten is now under a Tropical Storm Warning which means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the next 24-hours or less.
Tropical Storm Erika is expected to pass very close to St. Maarten as a severe tropical storm. Residents should have their hurricane season preparations already in place and after having gone through the most recent experience with the passing of Hurricane Bill.
Due to the possibility of deteriorating weather conditions on Thursday; looking at the safety of pupils, teachers and parents, schools are to be closed on Thursday.
Contractors must secure building sites today. Lumber and other building materials should be properly stored away.
The Netherlands Antilles & Aruba Weather Service at 8.00am Wednesday morning reports that even though Erika has weakened a little, the system is expected to strengthen on Thursday.
Conditions that can be expected late tonight and intensifying from Thursday 2.00am are gusty winds especially in and near showers; shower and thunderstorm activity is to become more frequent and locally heavy tonight and especially on Thursday; expected heavy rains could last for quite some time causing street flooding.
The National Hurricane Center reports that Erika is expected to produce total rainfall of two to four inches during the next couple of days with possible isolated maximum amounts of six inches.
Boaters are required to seek safe haven and properly secure their sea craft. A small craft warning is in effect.
Residents are also advised to continue to monitor radio broadcast for official information coming from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and for weather reports issued by the Netherlands Antilles & Aruba Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.
Tropical Storm Erika is expected to pass approximately 77 miles from St. Maarten according to Netherlands Antilles & Aruba Weather Service based on a 5.00pm intermediate advisory.
On Wednesday morning, Governor Franklyn Richardson ordered all schools closed on Thursday as a precautionary measure due to the anticipated weather. Normal school activities are to resume on Friday.
During a specially convened Emergency Operations Center (EOC) meeting at 5.30pm, it was decided that Government offices and businesses should operate as normal on Thursday based on the Wednesday 5.00pm intermediate weather advisory. The EOC will continue to monitor weather conditions throughout Thursday in case any special advisories are necessary.
Strongest winds and heavy showers are expected Thursday afternoon going into Thursday night and possibly into Friday. Gusty winds to tropical storm force may be expected, but not sustained. The system still has the possibility of turning to the West North West. The Netherlands Antilles & Aruba Weather Service still expects total rainfall of two to four inches.
Motorists are requested to exercise a level of caution due to the aforementioned possibility of localized flooding in low-lying areas. Residents living in hillside areas should be vigilant for rock falls that may be caused by any heavy rainfall.
The Police are advising motorists to exercise caution in the Madame Estate area, Pointe Blanche and Beacon Hill road with respect to possible rock falls and sand blocking the latter. The Police and Public Works Departments have made provisions to close the aforementioned roads if necessary. The Police are also advising motorists to remain off the road during heavy rainfall as a safety measure.
The Public Works department has reported that garbage has been removed from the Cul de Sac Basin in order to prevent clogging of the drainage systems in that area thereby possibly preventing flooding in the event of major rainfall.
The pump stations have been checked and are functioning to pump water from the ponds into the channel leading to the ocean. Water capacity in the ponds have been reduced in order to accommodate any large amount of rainfall.
The Fire Department has reported that all systems and resources are in place for any eventuality.
GEBE has informed the Governor that they do not expect any outages during the passing of Tropical Storm Erika.
Residents are also advised to continue to monitor radio broadcast for official information coming from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and for weather reports issued by the Netherlands Antilles & Aruba Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.
At 5.00pm the poorly organized Tropical Storm Erika was located at 16.4 degrees North and 61.7 degrees West or very near Guadeloupe.
Tropical Storm Erika has sustained wind speeds of 40 miles per hour with higher gusts is moving West at 10 miles per hour. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles from the center of the system.