According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, as of 5:00 p.m. today the center of Tropical Storm Ernesto was located near latitude 12.8 north and longitude 56.6 west or about 295 miles E of Barbados and the Windward Islands.  Ernesto is moving toward the west-northwest near 22 mph and this motion is expected to continue during the next 48 hours.  On the forecast track the center of Ernesto will reach the Lesser Antilles by late tonight or early Friday morning.  Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts.  Gradual strengthening is possible during the next 48 hours. Tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center.

Tropical storm winds are expected to reach the Lesser Antilles by late tonight.

Ernesto is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 3 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 5 inches over the Windward Islands through Friday.

Large waves generated by Ernesto will be affecting the Windward Islands over the next 24 hours.

A Tropical Strom Warning means that tropical storm force winds will start to impact the state in 36 hours (In this case it is within the next 12 to 24 hours).

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Barbados, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Dominica.

National Actions:
Barbados

• Will continue to conduct communication checks with the sub-regional and regional mechanisms.
• Have conducted checks of their radio and communication system.
• Have advised the marine  community to move their vessels to safe harbour.
• Have advised the general public.
• Have activated their National Disaster Plan

Saint Lucia

• Have advised the marine  community to move their vessels to safe harbour.
• Have advised the general public.
• Activated their National Disaster Plan
• Conducted a Pre-Strike Meeting at 3:30 p.m. today (2/8/12)

Dominica

• Activated their National Disaster Plan
• Have circulated a Special Public Notice

St Vincent & the Grenadines

• Residents are encouraged to continue to monitor local media for further updates and advisories.
• Residents in low lying areas have been urged to seek shelter on higher ground.  Releases have been issued to residents.

Jamaica

Tropical Storm Ernesto is forcasted to move into the Caribbean sea by tomorrow (3/8/12). Based on the forcasted track:

• The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is monitoring the systtem and commenced preliminary preparations.

Regional Actions

The CDEMA Coordinating Unit (CU) participated in two “On Line” discussions (via ELLUMINATE), with CIMH, Metrological Offices and National Disaster Offices in the region at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. respectively.  The discussion included outputs from the Caribbean Dewetra Platform on the Tropical System. Participants discussed the scenarios and projections for the system.

The CDEMA CU has made contact with the National Disaster Offices that are in the projected track of Tropical Storm Ernesto.  The CU continues to monitor Tropical Storm Ernesto and incoming reports from its Participating States and remains ready to respond if necessary.

The CDEMA 24 hour contact number is 246-425-0386