THIS IS A NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE FRED ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT NOON, MONDAY, 31ST AUGUST, 2015.

…STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN SPREADING NORTHWESTWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND NORTHWESTERN CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.…

AT 11AM EST, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FRED WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.4°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 23.7° WEST OR ABOUT 45 MILES –EAST SOUTHEAST OF RIBEIRA BRAVA IN THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS.

FRED IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED ON TUESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF FRED IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR OR OVER THE NORTHWESTERN CAPE VERDE ISLANDS LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 85 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED THROUGH EARLY TONIGHT WHILE FRED MOVES THROUGH THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST TO BEGIN ON TUESDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM MONDAY, 31ST AUGUST 2013.