ALERT #28 ON TROPICAL STORM LAURA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY, SUNDAY 23 RD AUGUST 2020, AT 6 PM EDT.

BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY

Forecast Office Section

Telephone No. 377-7178/377-7040 Fax No. 377-5275

Nassau, Bahamas

 

THE ALL CLEAR IS NOW GIVEN FOR THE ISLANDS OF GRAND BAHAMA, ABACO, BIMINI, THE BERRY ISLANDS, ANDROS, NEW PROVIDENCE, ELEUTHERA, EXUMA, CAT ISLAND, SAN SALVADOR, RUM CAY, LONG ISLAND, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS, LONG CAY, SAMANA CAY, MAYAGUANA AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. 

 

THEREFORE, TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS, WATCHES AND ALERTS FOR THE MENTIONED ISLANDS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED. 

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR INAGUA AND RAGGED ISLAND. 

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD BE EXPERIENCED WITHIN 36 HOURS.

 

AT 5 PM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM LAURA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.5 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 75.2 DEGREES WEST, OR ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF GUANTANAMO CUBA OR ABOUT 233 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, OR ABOUT 148 MILES SOUTHWEST OF INAGUA OR ABOUT 218 MILES SOUTH OF RAGGED ISLAND, OR ABOUT 404 MILES SOUTHSOUTHEAST OF NEW PROVIDENCE.

 

LAURA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 21 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS FORECAST ON WEDNESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF LAURA WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER CUBA TONIGHT AND MONDAY, WHILE PASSING SOUTH OF THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS TONIGHT. 

 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE PRIMARILY OCCURING TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST WHILE LAURA MOVES NEAR CUBA. HOWEVER, STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AFTER LAURA MOVES OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO, AND LAURA COULD BECOME A HURRICANE TUESDAY OR TUESDAY NIGHT. 

 

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDS OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER. 

 

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

 

RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD REMAIN INDOORS DURING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT AND REMAIN VIGILANT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADIC ACTIVITY.

 

RESIDENTS IN THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS MAY RESUME NORMAL ACTIVITIES.  

 

THE NEXT ALERT ON TROPICAL STORM LAURA WILL BE ISSUED AT 9 PM EDT TODAY. 

 

ISSUED BY: BASIL A. DEAN