THIS IS A NEWS ITEM ON ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6PM THURSDAY, 17TH AUGUST, 2017.

… HURRICANE HUNTER FINDS THAT THE DISTURBANCE HAS BECOME TROPICAL STORM HARVEY...

AT 5PM EDT, THE CENTER OF HARVEY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 13.0° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 55.8° WEST OR ABOUT 250 MILES EAST OF BARBADOS OR 355 MILES EAST OF ST. LUCIA.

TROPICAL STORM HARVEY IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 18 MILES PER HOUR AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE DISTURBANCE SHOULD MOVE THROUGH THE WINDWARD ISLANDS AND INTO THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN SEA ON FRIDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

THIS SYSTEM POSES NO THREAT TO THE BAHAMAS AT THIS TIME.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6AM.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE