Financial institutions closed early today ahead of slowed-down Tammy, which could mean a longer storm

Banking and other financial institutions, including credit unions,
closed their doors this morning, October 20, at 11 a.m., as the
country awaits the impact of Tropical Storm Tammy.
 
Officials are already anticipating that the storm will intensify into a
hurricane by the time it reaches portions of the Leeward Island
chain early Saturday, October 21.
 
In a public notice, the Antigua & Barbuda Montserrat Bankers
Association had informed the public that all banking locations would
close to the public an hour before midday.
 
This early closure, it noted, is to allow employees to adequately
prepare for the passage of TS Tammy.
 
Meanwhile, tropical-storm conditions are expected to begin within
the Tropical Storm Warning area this afternoon or evening, with
hurricane conditions possible within the Hurricane Watch area on
Saturday, forecasters say.
 
Additional watches and warnings could be required later today.
 
Heavy rains from Tammy will begin to affect the Leeward and
northern Windward Islands today, spreading into the British and
U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico over the weekend.
 
Rainfall from this storm may produce isolated flash and urban
flooding, along with isolated mudslides in areas of higher terrain,
forecasters are predicting.

 
Meanwhile, Tammy has slowed down significantly, from a forward
speed of 23 mph on Thursday to 10 mph at present.
Forecasters say this slowing is likely to delay the onset of storm
conditions to perhaps after midnight on Friday. This could also
mean that the system could hang around longer, with the potential
for greater impacts.
 
“There is virtually nothing positive about a slow-moving storm,
except perhaps it provides more time for preparations” officials say.