UPDATE 9/27/18 THURSDAY 5 AM
Tropical Storm Kirk continues to track westward toward the Lesser Antilles moving at 16 mph. Winds are at 50 mph with higher gusts and Kirk is expected to impact the islands by tonight. Gradual weakening is forecast through the weekend.
UPDATE 9/26/18 WEDNESDAY 5 AM
Tropical Storm Kirk has regenerated in the western tropical Atlantic with winds of 45 mph. Little change in strength is forecast as Kirk approaches the Lesser Antilles by the end of the week. Tropical Storm Warnings are in place for Barbados and St. Lucia with a Tropical Storm Watch in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Kirk is forecast to dissipate after passing over the islands and into the Caribbean.
UPDATE 9/24/18 MONDAY 11 AM
Kirk as succumbed to dry air and wind shear and has degenerated to a remnant area of low pressure. All advisories have been discontinued.
UPDATE 9/24/18 MONDAY 5 AM
Tropical Depression Kirk continues westward moving 24 mph with winds of 35 mph. Slight strengthening is forecast over the next few days, but with the quick movement and wind shear in the area, the possibility of Kirk degenerating into a tropical wave is there as we head into the rest of the week. At this point, Kirk is expected to impact the Lesser Antilles as a Tropical Storm by the end of the work week.
UPDATE 9/23/18 SUNDAY 11 PM
Kirk has weakened to a tropical depression with winds of 35 mph, moving west at 25 mph. The fast movement of Kirk has made it difficult for the storm to stay organized. However, there is a chance the storm restrengthens to a tropical storm in the coming days before approaching the Lesser Antilles. The storm is then forecast to degenerate to a tropical wave in the Caribbean.
UPDATE 9/23/18 SUNDAY 5 PM
Tropical Storm Kirk remains a low end tropical storm with max winds of 40 mph. Kirk is moving very quickly westward in the Atlantic, at 23 mph. There is a window of time over the next few days that Kirk could strengthen some. However, the storm is expected to eventually weaken again as it approaches the Lesser Antilles by the end of the weak as it encounters strong wind shear and dry air. At this time, Kirk does not pose a threat to the U.S.
UPDATE 9/23/18 SUNDAY 11 AM
Kirk continues to head west across the Atlantic. It will arrive in the Windward Islands later this week. There are currently highly unfavorable conditions in the Caribbean, consisting of strong wind shear and dry air/dust that should weaken the storm as it approaches. There is a high chance that the storm will dissipate completely by later this week as it encounters these conditions. There are NO indications that this storm will be an eventual threat to the U.S. We'll continue to monitor it through the week.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
UPDATE 9/22/18 SATURDAY 5 PM
Tropical Storm Kirk remains a weak tropical storm with max winds at 40 mph, moving WNW at 15 mph. The storm is expected to slowly strengthen over the next few days as it continues moving west. Gradual weakening is expected by the time Kirk reaches the Lesser Antilles.
UPDATE 9/22/18 SATURDAY 11 AM
Tropical Storm Kirk formed in the Atlantic on Saturday morning and is moving west. Kirk will have to deal with a large area of dry air from the Saharan Desert and eventually some wind shear, which should keep its intensity under control.
FOX 4 CHIEF METEOROLOGIST DEREK BEASLEY
