NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE OPHELIA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT 6AM FRIDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2017.

… OPHELIA MOVING FASTER TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST…

AT 5:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 31.1° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 33.9° WEST OR ABOUT 615 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AZORES.

HURRICANE OPHELIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MPH AND THIS MOTION WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED THROUGH SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 105 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ONLY SLIGHT WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE