WHAT'S NEW:

The government of Trinidad and Tobago has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Grenada and its dependencies.

SUMMARY OF ALERTS:

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Grenada and its dependencies

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 hours. Tropical Storm Warnings may be issued later today for other portions of the Windward Islands.

A Tropical Storm Watch will likely be issued later today for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Elsewhere, interests in the Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of Karen. For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by your national meteorological service.

WIND: [TOP] Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach those islands within the warning area later this morning and afternoon, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

RAINFALL: [TOP] Karen is expected to produce the following rainfall accumulations through Wednesday:

Windward Islands...3 to 6 inches, isolated 8 inches.

Leeward Islands...1 to 3 inches, isolated 5 inches.

Far northeastern Venezuela and Barbados...1 to 3 inches.

These rains may cause flash flooding and mudslides, especially in mountainous areas.

At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of newly formed Tropical Storm Karen was located near latitude 11.9 North, longitude 60.2 West. Karen is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h) and this general motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the northwest is forecast to occur on Monday, followed by a turn toward the north on Tuesday. On the forecast track, Karen will move across the Windward Islands this afternoon and tonight, and emerge over the southeastern Caribbean Sea Monday morning. On Tuesday, Karen is expected to approach Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 48 hours.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km) from the center. Barbados recently reported a sustained wind of 37 mph (59 km/h) and a gust to 45 mph (72 km/h).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb (29.68 inches).