Hurricane Dorian- Alert #9

ALERT #9 ON HURRICANE DORIAN ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY THURSDAY 29TH AUGUST, 2019 AT 9PM EDT.

…DORIAN IS FORECAST TO STRENGTHEN INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS…

A HURRICANE ALERT REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLANDS OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS.  THIS INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF NEW PROVIDENCE, ELEUTHERA, ABACO, GRAND BAHAMA, NORTH ANDROS, BIMINI AND THE BERRY ISLANDS.      

A HURRICANE ALERT MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 60 HOURS.

AT 8PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE DORIAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.9 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 68.0 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 225 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, 387 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF MATTHEW TOWN INAGUA AND 613 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF NEW PROVIDENCE. 

DORIAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH, AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH FRIDAY.  A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS FORECASTED TO BEGIN FRIDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO THE WEEKEND.  ON THIS TRACK, DORIAN SHOULD MOVE OVER THE ATLANTIC WELL TO THE EAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEAST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS TODAY AND FRIDAY, AND APPROACH THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS ON SATURDAY, AND MOVE NEAR OR OVER PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS ON SUNDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS AND DORIAN IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE ON FRIDAY, AND REMAIN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. 

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES FROM THE CENTER, AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 90 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

RESIDENTS IN NEW PROVIDENCE, ELEUTHERA, ABACO, GRAND BAHAMA, NORTH ANDROS, BIMINI AND THE BERRY ISLANDS  SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL HURRICANE PREPARATION ARE PUT IN PLACE AS THEY CAN BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE DORIAN BY SATURDAY NIGHT. 

SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS SHOULD BEGIN TO SEEK SAFE HARBOUR FOR THEIR VESSELS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE PROPERLY SECURED.  MARINERS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION FOR MODERATE TO LARGE SWELLS ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.

THE NEXT ALERT ON HURRICANE DORIAN WILL BE ISSUED AT 12 AM TOMORROW.

ISSUED BY: BASIL A. DEAN