NASSAU, The Bahamas - ALERT NUMBER EIGHTEEN (18) ON HURRICANE MARIA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY THURSDAY 21^ST SEPTEMBER, 2017 AT 3PM.

 HURRICANE MARIA IS NOW A LITTLE STRONGER AS IT MOVES TOWARDS 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 2PM, THE LARGE EYE OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.4 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 69.4 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 134 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND TURK TURKS AND CAICOS, 254 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF MATTHEW TOWN INAGUA, 258 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF ABRAHAM’S BAY MAYAGUANA AND 603 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 ARE NOW NEAR 120 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  MARIA IS NOW A CATEGORY THREE (3) HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL 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 REMAIN INDOORS ONCE CONDITIONS BEGIN TO DETERIORATE THIS EVENING.  TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD INTO MAYAGUANA BY FRIDAY MORNING. 

RESIDENTS IN CAT ISLAND, EXUMA, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR SHOULD BEGIN TO MAKE PREPARATIONS 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