NASSAU, The Bahamas – Tropical storm warnings for Grand Bahama and Bimini have been discontinued, hence the All Clear has been given for those islands which experienced dangerous Hurricane Irma over the weekend.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorology in Alert #49 issued on Monday, September 11 explained the conditions in those islands and gave an update on the storm.

IRMA CONTINUES TO WEAKEN AS THE CENTER MOVES ALONG THE NORTHWESTERN COAST OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA.

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS FOR GRAND BAHAMA AND BIMINI ARE DISCONTINUED, HENCE THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN FOR GRAND BAHAMA AND BIMINI.

EVEN THOUGH THE ALL CLEAR IS GIVEN, RESIDENTS MUST STILL EXERCISE CAUTION IN MOVING ABOUT AS THERE ARE AREAS IN THE ISLANDS WHERE THERE MAY BE DOWNED POWER LINES, SEVERE FLOODING, DOWNED TREES AND OTHER DEBRIS ACROSS SOME SREETS.  RESIDENTS ARE ASKED TO AVOID THESE AREAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND ALLOW MAINTENANCE CREW TO CLEAR THE STREETS.  

AT 5AM, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.9 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 82.6 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 280 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF WEST END GRAND BAHAMA AND 417 MILES NORTHWEST OF NEW PROVIDENCE.

IRMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TUESDAY. 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 75 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST, AND IRMA IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN TO A TROPICAL STORM THIS MORNING AND TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON. 

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES MAINLY TO THE WEST OF THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 415 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

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