THE GOVERNMENT OF Barbados has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines for Tropical Depression Fifteen.
At 2 p.m. the National Hurricane Center said that satellite images indicated that the disturbance had become better organised and is now classified as a tropical depression.
The centre of Tropical Depression Fifteen was near latitude 11.9 North, longitude 51.6 West.
The depression is moving toward the west near 20 mph (30 km/h). A slower west-northwest motion is expected during the next couple of days.
On the forecast track, the system is expected to approach the Leeward Islands on Monday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected during the next 48 hours.
The depression is forecast to become a tropical storm later today and could be near hurricane strength when it approaches the Leeward Islands.
The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb (29.71 inches).
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for: St Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines. (BARBADOS NATION)
