GUSTY WINDS?and heavy rains are forecast for today as Barbados faces its closest brush with a tropical storm for the year.
Maria, the Atlantic hurricane season’s 13th tropical cyclone, is due to pass just north of the island by this afternoon, with forecasters also warning of isolated thunderstorms.
 At 8 p.m. yesterday its centre was located at 13.2 degrees north and 53.6 degrees west. The system was moving west at 21 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour.
Last night, officials at the Barbados Met Office said the centre of Maria was due to pass about 70 miles or 112 kilometres to the north of the island.
Â
Full story in today’s WEEKEND NATION.Â
Â
