Tropical Storm Kirk Weakens Again As It Continues Moving West
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Tropical Storm Kirk regenerated over the Atlantic on Wednesday but its forecast to weaken yet again.
At 11 p.m.,Kirk was about 170 miles east of Barbados.
Kirk is moving toward the west-northwest near 16 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue over the next few days.
On the forecast track, the center of Kirk will move across the Lesser Antilles within the tropical storm warning area Thursday or Thursday evening.
Data from the Hurricane Hunter plane indicate that maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 50 mph with higher gusts.
Gradual weakening is anticipated during the next couple of days, but Kirk is forecast to move across the Lesser Antilles and into the eastern Caribbean Sea as a tropical storm.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles mainly to the north and east of the center.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Barbados
* St. Lucia
* Dominica
* Martinique
* Guadeloupe
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* St. Vincent and the Grenadines
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND:
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the warning area by Thursday afternoon, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area by Thursday afternoon.
RAINFALL: Kirk is expected to produce total rainfall of 4 to 6 inches across the northern Windward and southern Leeward Islands with isolated maximum totals up to 10 inches across Martinique and Dominica.
These rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Across eastern Puerto Rico, Kirk is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches with isolated maximum totals of 6 inches by Friday and Saturday.
