The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has now issued a Tropical Storm Watch for islands in the Central Bahamas; and maintains a Hurricane Warning for the Southeast Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands as Hurricane Maria poses threat to these islands.

Hurricane warnings indicate that hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or higher) are expected somewhere within the specified area. Because hurricane preparedness activities become difficult once winds reach tropical storm force (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph), the hurricane warning is issued 36 hours in advance of the anticipated onset of tropical-storm-force winds to allow for important preparation.

During a hurricane warning, complete storm preparations and immediately leave the threatened area if directed by NEMA officials.

Tropical Storm Watch means sustained winds of 34 to 63 knots (39 to 73mph) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 12 noon issued Alert #17, on Hurricane Maria.

HURRICANE MARIA IS HEADING TOWARD THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.  THIS INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF MAYAGUANA, INAGUA, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS, LONG CAY, SAMANA CAY AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. 

A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE AFFECTING OR CAN AFFECT THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS.  THIS INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF CAT ISLAND, EXUMA, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS CAN AFFECT THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS WITHIN 48 HOURS.

AT 11AM, THE LARGE EYE OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.2 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 69.1 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 155 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND TURK, TURKS AND CAICOS, 286 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF MATTHEW TOWN INAGUA, 282 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ABRAHAM’S BAY MAYAGUANA AND 624 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF NEW PROVIDENCE.

MARIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT.  A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS FORECAST EARLY FRIDAY WITH THAT MOTION CONTINUING THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK MARIA’S EYE WILL CONTINUE TO PASS OFFSHORE OF THE NORTHERN COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TODAY AND THEN MOVE NEAR OR JUST EAST OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS TONIGHT AND ON FRIDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 115 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  MARIA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE (3) HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT DAY SO. 

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 150 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

HURRICANE MARIA POTENTIALLY CAN PRODUCE SEVERAL TORNADOES AS IT MOVES ALONG ITS TRACK.

RESIDENTS IN MAYAGUANA, INAGUA, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS, LONG CAY, SAMANA CAY AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD COMPLETE ALL NECESSARY PREPARATIONS AS THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS MAY BEGIN TO EXPERIENCE STRONG TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS BY TONIGHT.  TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO INAGUA AND MAYAGUANA BY FRIDAY MORNING. 

RESIDENTS IN CAT ISLAND, EXUMA, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE PREPARATION AS THEY CAN EXPERIENCE HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

LARGE SWELLS AND BATTERING WAVES WILL IMPACT THE NORTH AND EASTERN COAST OF THE AFOREMENTIONED ISLANDS INCLUSIVE OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

EXTENSIVE FLOODING CAN BE EXPECTED AS MARIA IS FORECAST TO PRODUCE 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAINFALL OVER THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND MAYAGUANA, AND 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER INAGUA, ACKLINS AND CROOKED ISLAND. 

SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD REMAIN IN SAFE HARBOUR.

For more information contact: Lindsay Thompson, Public Information Officer, NEMA at (242) 322-6081. 322-6085. 361-5569. Email: nemabahamas242@gmail.com. Website: www.bahamas.gov.bs. Facebook: NEMA-Bahamas