NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE MARIA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6AM TUESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2017.

… MARIA WEAKENS SLIGHTLY AS IT CONTINUES NORTHWARD …

AT 5:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MARIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 32.9° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 73.1° WEST OR ABOUT 210 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

HURRICANE MARIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH AT 7 MPH, AND THIS GENERAL MOTION WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH TONIGHT. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF MARIA WILL PASS EAST OF THE COAST OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR (WIND SPEED) MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CONTINUED GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, AND MARIA IS FORECAST TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.

PREPARED BY FORECASTER: ORSON NIXON