News Item Issued on Hurricane Milton

NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE MILTON, ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 12 PM EDT, MONDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2024.

A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED LATER TODAY, OUTLINING THE INDIRECT IMPACTS OF MILTON AS IT PASSES NORTH OF THE BAHAMAS BETWEEN WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY….

…MILTON CONTINUING TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY…

…FORECAST TO BECOME A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE…

AT 11 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MILTON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.7.0° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 91.7° WEST, OR ABOUT 130 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF PROGRESO, MEXICO, OR 720 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TAMPA, FLORIDA.

MILTON IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-SOUTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH (15 KM/H). AN EASTWARD TO EAST-SOUTHEASTWARD MOTION IS FORECAST THROUGH TONIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE EAST AND NORTHEAST ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. ON TE FORECAST TRACK, MILTON IS FORECAST TO MOVE NEAR OR JUST NORTH OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA TODAY AND TUESDAY, THEN CROSS THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO AND APPROACH THE WEST COAST OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA BY WEDNESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 155 MPH (250 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  MILTON IS A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. MILTON IS FORECAST TO BECOME A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE LATER TODAY AND BECOME A LARGE HURRICANE OVER THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.

PREPARED BY FORECASTER: C. WATSON-RAHMING
ISSUED: MONDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2024 @ 11:50 AM EDT.