#Bahamas, September 29, 2017 – Nassau – 6:00 AM FORECAST FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT, FRIDAY 29TH  SEPTEMBER, 2017, ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY.                                              

GENERAL SITUATION: THE INTERACTION OF AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND A BROAD SURFACE TROUGH OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN CONTINUES TO PULL PLUMES OF DEEP TROPICAL MOISTURE ACROSS AREA, PRODUCING PERIODS OF UNSETTLED WEATHER TODAY.

SPECIAL WARNINGS: BOATERS SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION DUE TO MODERATE NORTHEASTERLY SWELLS AND ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL OF WATERSPOUTS… & BEACHGOERS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT DUE TO THE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS ALONG NORTH AND EAST COAST BEACHES…

NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS

WEATHER:  PARTLY TO MOSTLY CLOUDY, WARM AND HUMID WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

ADVISORY:   GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS CAN BE EXPECTED IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS.

WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 15 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS & 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS

SEAS:  3 TO 5 FEET OVER THE OCEAN WITH SOME MODERATE NORTHEASTERLY SWELLS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS AND 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS.

SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS

WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND HOT WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS.

ADVISORY:   A SMALL CRAFT CAUTION IS IN EFFECT.

…GUSTY WINDS AND HIGHER SEAS CAN BE EXPECTED IN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS…

WINDS: EAST TO SOUTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS OVER OPEN WATERS.

SEAS:  4 TO 6 FEET OVER OPEN WATERS.

HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY                 90 °F   32 °C  

LOW TEMPERATURE TONIGHT             77 °F   25 °C   

SUNRISE: 7:01AM

SUNSET: 6:58PM

LOW TIDE: 9:14AM  &10:10PM    

HIGH TIDE: 3:29PM & 4:05AM SAT

MOONRISE:    2:58PM

MOONSET: 2:08 AM SAT

EXTENDED FORECAST: A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE MAY DEVELOP BETWEEN THE WESTERN BAHAMAS AND FLORIDA EARLY THIS WEEKEND, POSSIBLY BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE.    THE LOW WILL DRIFT NORTHEAST THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING, SHIFTING BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST TO WEST THROUGH SUNDAY.

FORECAST FOR SATURDAY                    

WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY, WARM AND HUMID WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS

WINDS: SOUTHEAST TO SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST & CENTRAL BAHAMAS…& 15 TO 20 KNOTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS

SEAS: 2 TO 4 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST & CENTRAL BAHAMAS…4 TO 6 FEET IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS.

FORECAST FOR SUNDAY

WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY, WARM AND HUMID WITH ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS

WINDS: EASTERLY AT 15 TO 20 KNOTS.

SEAS: 4 TO 6 FEET OVER THE OCEAN

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK: A large area of cloudiness and showers extending from the

Northwestern Caribbean Sea northward across Cuba to southern Florida and the northwestern Bahamas is associated with a broad surface trough interacting with an upper-level low.    A weak area of low pressure is likely to form from this weather system later today and move northward near the east coast of the Florida peninsula through Saturday.   Environmental conditions appear conducive for some development of this system during the next couple of days, before upper-level winds become less favorable Saturday night or Sunday.   Regardless of development, this system is likely to produce locally heavy rainfall over portions of central and western Cuba, the Florida Keys, the Florida peninsula, and the northwestern Bahamas during the next several days.

FORECASTER: K. WARD-FORBES/vd

Photo: Acklins Island, Bahamas