THIS IS A NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT NOON, THURSDAY, 29TH SEPTEMBER, 2016.

… MATTHEW CONTINUES WESTWARD ACROSS THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN ….

AT 11AM DST, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM MATTHEW WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.2° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 66.3° WEST OR ABOUT 290 MILES SOUTH OF SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO.

MATTHEW IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 15 MPH, AND A GENERAL WESTWARD MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND MATTHEW IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.