Bahamas, August 9, 2017 – Nassau – NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM FRANKLIN ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 12PM WEDNESDAY 09TH AUGUST 2017.
… FRANKLIN ALMOST A HURRICANE …
AT 11:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF FRANKLIN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.2°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 93.9° WEST OR ABOUT 140 MILES NORTH-NORTHEAST OF COATZACOALCOS MEXICO OR 165 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF VERACRUZ MEXICO.
FRANKLIN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST AT 13 MPH, AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF FRANKLIN IS EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE COAST OF EASTERN MEXICO TODAY, THEN CROSS THE COAST IN THE MEXICAN STATE OF VERACRUZ TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED, AND FRANKLIN IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY AND REACH THE COAST OF MEXICO AS A HURRICANE TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY. RAPID WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AFTER LANDFALL IN MEXICO.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: ORSON NIXON
