Public Forecast for The Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos islands, January 26, 2018

#Bahamas, January 26, 2018 – Nassau – THIS IS THE BAHAMAS PUBLIC FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT FRIDAY 26^TH JANUARY 2018

 GENERAL SITUATION:  A STRONG HIGH-PRESSURE RIDGE CENTERED NORTH OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS ACROSS THE ISLAND CHAIN TODAY WHILE A QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT IN THE VICINITY OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS WILL EVENTUALLY LIMP SOUTHEASTWARDS LATER TODAY.

SPECIAL WARNINGS: MARINERS ARE ASKED TO REMAIN IN PORT AND BEACHGOERS ONSHORE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND DUE TO ROUGH SURF, DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS AND HAZARDOUS BOATING CONDITIONS.  INTERESTS RESIDING ALONG THE NORTHERN AND EASTERN COASTS SHOULD ALSO SAFEGUARD BEACH PROPERTY DUE TO POSSIBLE EROSION.  FINALLY, MOTORISTS ARE ASKED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN TRAVELLING ALONG COASTAL ROADS DUE TO BATTERING WAVES AND SEA SPRAY THAT COULD LEAD TO HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

ALL AREAS

WEATHER: MOSTLY CLOUDY TO OVERCAST AND VERY WINDY WITH A FEW SCATTERED SHOWERS MAINLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THROUGH TONIGHT.

ADVISORY:  SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

WINDS: NORTHEAST TO EAST AT 20 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS UP TO GALE FORCE OVER OPEN WATERS.

SEAS:  8 TO 12 FEET BUT HIGHER IN GUSTS AND NORTHEAST TO EASTERLY SWELLS OVER THE OCEAN.

DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURE:             77°F    25°C

OVERNITE LOW TEMPERATURE:            68°F   20°C

SUNRISE:  0:55AM                       MOONRISE:  01:14PM                             LOW TIDE:  08:52AM

SUNSET:  05:48PM                      MOONSET:   02:45AM SAT.                  HIGH TIDE:  02:42PM

                                                                                                                                 LOW TIDE:  09:00PM

                                                                                                                                 HIGH TIDE:  03:31AM SAT.

EXTENDED FORECAST: A ROBUST HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED NORTH OF THE AREA WILL MAINTAIN STRONG WINDS ACROSS THE ISLANDS THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND.  HOWEVER, WINDS WILL GRADUALLY DIMINISH ON MONDAY AHEAD OF YET ANOTHER COLD FRONT.

FORECAST FOR SATURDAY

WEATHER: PARTLY CLOUDY AND VERY WINDY WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS MAINLY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS.

WINDS: EASTERLY AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…EASTERLY AT 20 TO 30 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

SEAS: 6 TO 9 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…8 TO 12 FEET IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS…SEAS UP TO 17 FEET IN EASTERLY SWELLS ACROSS ALL AREAS.

FORECAST FOR SUNDAY

WEATHER: VARIABLE CLOUDINESS AND WINDY WITH THE CHANCE OF A FEW EVENING SHOWERS AND POSSIBLE ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTHWEST BAHAMAS.

WINDS: SOUTHEASTERLY AT 15 TO 25 KNOTS IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…EASTERLY AT 20 TO 30 KNOTS IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS.

SEAS: 5 TO 8 FEET IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS…8 TO 12 FEET IN THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS…SEAS UP TO 14 FEET IN EASTERLY SWELLS ACROSS ALL AREAS.

FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE