This is a News Item on Hurricane Gert issued by The Bahamas Department of Meteorology Forecast Office, at 6AM Tuesday,15TH AUGUST, 2017.

… GERT BECOMES THE SECOND HURRICANE OF THE 2017 SEASON...IT IS EXPECTED TO TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST LATER TODAY…

AT 5AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GERT WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 31.8° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 72.5° WEST OR ABOUT 450 MILES WEST OF BERMUDA.

HURRICANE GERT IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 12 MILES PER HOUR (MPH). A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GERT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER SOME STRENGTH LATER TODAY OR WEDNESDAY. THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 12PM.

PREPARED BY FORECASTER: K. WARD-FORBES