Tropical Storm Tammy has formed about 625 miles to the east of the Windward Islands with several islands being placed under tropical storm watch.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) in its 5 p.m. update says:
The government of Barbados has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Barbados.
The government of Dominica has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Dominica.
The government of France has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Martinique and Guadeloupe.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Additional watches and warnings will likely be required later tonight or on Thursday.
At 5 PM AST (2100 UTC), the centre of Tropical Storm Tammy was located near latitude 13.0 North, longitude 51.7 West. Tammy is moving toward the west near 23 mph (37 km/h). A westward motion at a slower forward speed is expected through Thursday. A turn toward the west-northwest is forecast by Thursday night, followed by a turn toward the northwest Friday night or Saturday.
On the forecast track, the centre of Tammy will move near or over the Leeward Islands Friday and Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km) to the northeast of the centre.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
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WIND: Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area beginning on Friday.
RAINFALL: Through Saturday night, Tammy is expected to produce storm total rainfall of 3 to 6 inches, with maximum amounts of 10 inches, across portions of the northern Windward into the Leeward Islands. Rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches with maximum amounts of 4 inches are expected for the British and US Virgin Islands into eastern Puerto Rico. These rains may produce isolated flash and urban flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain.
SURF: Swells generated by Tammy will begin affecting portions of the Lesser Antilles on Thursday. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
The NHC will issue its next complete advisory at 11 PM AST. ; https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/