News Item on Tropical Depression Five issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology Forecast Office Section, at 6PM Monday, September 14, 2014.

… EDOUARD ALMOST A MAJOR HURRICANE …

AT 5:00PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EDOUARD WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.0°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 56.5° WEST OR ABOUT 575 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA.

EDOUARD IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH…AND A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY A FASTER NORTHEASTWARD MOTION ON WEDNESDAY.

Maxiumum SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 110 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST AND EDOUARD COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE TONIGHT.

HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

The next news item will be issued at  6AM TUESDAY.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: WAYNE.T.NEELY