#Bahamas, September 9, 2017 – Nassau – ALERT NUMBER THIRTY FVE (#35) ON HURRICANE IRMA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER, 2017 AT NOON EDT.
…IRMA CONTINUES TO POUND THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF CUBA…
HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS WHICH INCLUDES: ANDROS, BIMINI AND GRAND BAHAMA.
HURRICANE WARNINGS HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS. HENCE THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN FOR ABACO , THE BERRY ISLANDS, NEW PROVIDENCE, ELEUTHERA, CAT ISLAND, SAN SALVADOR, RUM CAY, EXUMA, LONG ISLAND, RAGGED ISLAND, ACKLINS, CROOKED ISLAND LONG CAY, MAYAGUANA, IANAGUA AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE AFFECTING OR CAN AFFECT THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS WITHIN 36 HOURS.
AT 11AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.8 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 79.85 DEGREES WEST NEAR THE NORTHERN COAST OF CUBA OR ABOUT 163 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARS BAY ANDROS.
IRMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 9 MPH ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF CUBA. A NORTHWEST TURN IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN LATER TODAY WITH A FURTHER TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST TONIGHT OR ON SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CORE OF IRMA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE NORTHERN COAST OF CUBA THIS MORNING, AND WILL REACH THE FLORIDA KEYS EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THE HURRICANE IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF FLORIDA SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 125 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. IRMA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE (3) HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. IRMA IS FORECAST TO RESTRENGTHEN ONCE IT MOVES AWAY FROM CUBA, AND IRMA IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A POWERFUL HURRICANE AS IT APPROACHES FLORIDA.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 195 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE NOW OCCURRING OVER ANDROS AND IS EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO BIMINI TONIGHT AND OVER WEST END GRAND BAHAMA BY STAURDAY AFTERNOON.
EXTENSIVE FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED AS IRMA IS FORECAST TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES.
THE COMBINATION OF STORM SURGE AND LARGE WAVES CAN RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 3 TO 6 FEET ABOVE THE NORMAL TIDE. RESIDENTS LIVING NEAR THE COAST SHOULD REMAIN VIGILANT PARTICULARLY THOSE NEAR THE SOUTH COAST OF WEST END GRAND BAHAMA.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS SHOULD REMAIN IN SAFE HARBOUR.
THE NEXT ALERT ON HURRICANE IRMA WILL BE ISSUED AT 3PM TODAY.
ISSUED BY: BASIL DEAN
