ALERT #15 ON HURRICANE SANDY ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY THURSDAY 25th OCTOBER, 2012 AT 6AM EDT.

….. CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE SANDY PREPARING TO MOVE OFF THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF CUBA...AND INTO BAHAMIAN WATERS…
 
…..A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS.  THIS INCLUDES GRAND BAHAMA, BIMINI, ABACO, THE BERRY ISLANDS, ANDROS, ELEUTHERA NEW PROVIDENCE, EXUMA, CAT ISLAND, RUM CAY, SAN SALVADOR LONG ISLAND AND RAGGED ISLAND.

HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WTHIN 36 HOURS.

TROPICAL STORM WARNING ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS WHICH INCLUDES ACKLINS, CROOKED ISLAND,LONG CAY, MAYAGUANA AND INAGUA.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WATCH AREA IN 36 HOURS.

\AT 5 AM EDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE SANDY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 20.9 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 75.8 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF RAGGED ISLAND, 180 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GEORGE TOWN EXUMA AND 305 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF NASSAU.

HURRICANE SANDY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 18 MILES PER HOUR.  THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY.  A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY.  ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF SANDY WILL MOVE OFF THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF CUBA THIS MORNING, MOVE NEAR OR OVER GEORGE TOWN EXUMA AT ABOUT 4 PM TODAY AND BETWEEN ARTHUR’S TOWN CAT ISLAND AND BANNERMAN TOWN ELEUTHERA AT ABOUT 10 PM TONIGHT.  

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 105 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  SANDY IS STILL A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.  GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS.  HOWEVER, SANDY IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A HURRICANE AS IT MOVES THROUGH THE BAHAMAS.  

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES FROM THE CENTER…..AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE NOW BEING EXPERIENCED RAGGED ISLAND AND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AFFECTING EXUMA, LONG ISLAND, ACKLINS AND CROOKED ISLAND BY 8 AM TODAY.  TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TO AFFECT NEW PROVIDENCE BY 1 PM THURSDAY.  HURRICANE CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO AFFECT EXUMA BY 2 PM TODAY AND SPREAD INTO CAT ISLAND BY 6 PM THIS AFTERNOON.  

STORM SURGE AS MUCH AS 5 TO 8 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS LIKELY IN THE WARNING AREAS.

RESIDENTS IN THE WARNING AREAS SHOULD HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED PREPARATION FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS. BOATERS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.

THE NEXT ALERT ON HURRICANE SANDY WILL BE ISSUED AT 9AM EDT. ISSUED BY: JEFFREY W. SIMMONS - DEPUTY DIRECTOR