Alert #16 on Tropical Storm Isais issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Thursday 30th July 2020, at 6:00 PM EDT

BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY 

Forecast Office Section Telephone No. 377-7178/377-7040 
Fax No. 377-5275 Nassau, Bahamas 

Isaias over the Dominican Republic is forecast to survive its interaction with land to become a hurricane Friday or Friday night while over The Bahamas.

A hurricane warning is now in effect for the northwest and central Bahamas. This includes Exuma, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Andros, New Providence, Eleuthera, Bimini, The Berry Islands, Grand Bahama and Abaco. A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions could be experienced somewhere in the warning area within 36 hours.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. This includes Acklins, Crooked Island, Ragged Island, Inagua, Mayaguana and Samana Cay. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions could be experienced somewhere in the warning area within 36 hours.

At 5 pm EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Isaias was located near latitude 19.5 degrees north and longitude 70.6 degrees west, or about 155 miles west-northwest of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, or about 135 miles south of Grand Turk, or about 190 miles southeast of Inagua, or about 577 miles southeast of New Providence.

Isaias is moving toward the northwest near 20 mph, and a northwestward motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days. On the forecast track, the center of Isaias will move over the southeast Bahamas and near the Turks and Caicos islands by late tonight. Isaias is forecast to be near the central Bahamas Friday night and move near or over the northwest Bahamas on Saturday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast during the next day or so, and Isaias is forecast to become a hurricane on Friday or Friday night.

Tropical storm force winds extends outward up to 240 miles from the center.

Tropical storm conditions will continue to spread across the southeast Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands tonight. Tropical storm conditions are expected to begin in the central Bahamas Friday morning and spread into the northwest Bahamas beginning late Friday. Hurricane conditions are expected within portions of the central and northwest Bahamas Friday night and Saturday.

Localized flooding is expected throughout the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos islands as Isaias is forecast to produce rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches.

Residents throughout the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos islands should rush to complete all preparations to mitigate damages and secure all loose items around their property.

Small craft in the Bahamas and the Turks Caicos Islands should seek safe Harbour and remain in port due to dangerous swells ahead, during and after the passage of Isaias.

Residents are urged to follow all advice given in alert messages.

The next alert on tropical storm Isaias will be issued at 9 pm EDT.

Issued by: Jeffrey Simmons and Arnold King