HURRICANE MATTHEW: Storm has weakened slightly but expected to intensify later tonight (ALERT #34)
ALERT #34 ON HURRICANE MATTHEW ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY WEDNESDAY 5TH OCTOBER, 2016 AT 9PM EDT.
…RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT REPORT THAT MATTHEW HAS WEAKENED SLIGHTLY…IT IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY LATER TONIGHT AND THURSDAY…
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE BAHAMAS.
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OVER ISLANDS OF THE BAHAMAS WITHIN 36 HOURS.
AT 8PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MATTHEW WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.0 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 76.0 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 37 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GEORGE TOWN EXUMA, 57 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF DEADMAN’S CAY LONG ISLAND, 79 SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF STANIEL CAY EXUMA, 164 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FRESH CREEK ANDROS, 164 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW PROVIDENCE, 199 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREAT HARBOUR CAY THE BERRY ISLANDS, AND 315 MILES SOUTHEAST OF WEST END, GRAND BAHAMA.
MATTHEW IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH, AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. ON THIS PRESENT TRACK THE EYE OF MATTHEW WILL BE MOVING JUST TO THE EAST OF GEORGETOWN, EXUMA TONIGHT, AND BETWEEN NEW PROVIDENCE AND NORTH ANDROS BY 9AM ON THURSDAY MORNING.
REPORTS FROM NOAA AND AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 115 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. MATTHEW IS A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. THE RECENT WEAKENING IS LIKELY TO BE SHORT LIVED AS MATTHEW IS EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY LATER TONIGHT AND THURSDAY. MATTHEW IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT A CATEGORY 3 OR STRONGER INTENSITY WHILE IT MOVES THROUGH THE BAHAMAS AND APPROACHES THE EAST COAST OF FLORIDA.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
STRONG TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS WITH GUSTS TO HURRICANE FORCE WINDS WILL BE EXPERIENCED IN LONG ISLAND, RAGGED ISLAND, EXUMA, CAT ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR TONIGHT, SUBSIDING BY THURSDAY MORNING.
RESIDENTS IN ANDROS, THE BERRY ISLANDS, BIMINI, ELEUTHERA AND NEW PROVIDENCE WILL BEGIN EXPERIENCING TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS TONIGHT. BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING THE WINDS WILL INCREASE TO HURRICANE STRENGTH IN NEW PROVIDENCE, NORTH ANDROS, THE BERRY ISLANDS AND BIMINI, AS THE CENTER OF MATTHEW IS EXPECTED TO PASS VERY NEAR THOSE ISLANDS ON THURSDAY MORNING.
RESIDENTS IN LOW LYING AREAS AND ON COASTAL ROADS SHOULD CONTACT THEIR LOCAL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR OR NEMA OFFICE TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR RELOCATION TO A HURRICANE SHELTER BEFORE THE ONSET OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS.
THE COMBINATION OF A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE AND LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES COULD RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE THROUGHOUT BAHAMAS.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS THROUGHOUT THE BAHAMAS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT AND SEEK SAFE HARBOUR FOR THEIR VESSELS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE PROPERLY SECURED.
THE NEXT ALERT ON HURRICANE MATTHEW WILL BE ISSUED AT MIDNIGHT (12AM THURSDAY).
ISSUED BY: GREGORY D THOMPSON (SMO)