NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT NOON TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2017.

… OPHELIA GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED OVER THE FAR EASTERN ATLANTIC… …EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY THURSDAY…

AT 11:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 31.5° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 38.3° WEST OR ABOUT 780 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES.

TROPICAL STORM OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY THURSDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE