Tropical Storm Tomas affecting Barbados

Barbados Friday was experiencing rains and winds associated with Tropical Storm Tomas. At 5 p.m. the centre of the tropical system was located at 11.1 degrees north and longitude 57.5 degrees west. On its current track the system, which is packing winds of 40 mph, is expected to pass near the island overnight.
A tropical storm warning is now in effect for the island as well as neighbouring St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, St Lucia, Martinique and Trinidad and Tobago.
Following is the full text of the 5 p.m. advisory issued by the National Hurricane Centre in Miami:
THE GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FORBARBADOS…AND ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES.THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL WARNING FORMARTINIQUE.THE GOVERNMENT OF ST. LUCIA HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WARNINGFOR ST. LUCIA.THE GOVERNMENT OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORMWARNING FOR TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO…AND GRENADA.THE GOVERNMENT OF BARBADOS HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FORDOMINICA.SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…* BARBADOS…MARTINIQUE…ST. LUCIA…ST. VINCENT AND THEGRENADINES…GRENADA…AND TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOA TROPICAL STORM WATCH IN IN EFFECT FOR…* DOMINICAA TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AREEXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA…IN THIS CASE WITHIN24 HOURS.A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AREPOSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 HOURS.FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…PLEASE MONITORPRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK——————————AT 500 PM AST…2100 UTC…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM TOMAS WASLOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 11.1 NORTH…LONGITUDE 57.5 WEST. TOMAS ISMOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH…28 KM/HR…AND THISGENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF TOMAS IS EXPECTED TO PASSTHROUGH THE CENTRAL WINDWARD ISLANDS SATURDAY AFTERNOON.MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH…65 KM/HR…WITH HIGHERGUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS…ANDTOMAS COULD BECOME A HURRICANE BY SUNDAY.TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES…75 KMFROM THE CENTER.THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCERESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 998 MB…29.47 INCHES.