News Item on Tropical Storm Helene issued by The Bahamas Meteorology Forecast Office Section at NOON FRIDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2018.

…HELENE MAINTAINING TROPICAL STORM STRENGTH AND IS EXPECTED TO BRING GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS TO THE AZORES THIS WEEKEND…

AT 11:00AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM HELENE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 32.9°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 36.3° WEST OR ABOUT 655 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAJES AIR BASE IN THE AZORES. TROPICAL STORM HELENE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH AT 23 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS FORECAST SATURDAY FOLLOWED BY A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST BY SUNDAY NIGHT. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, HELENE WILL PASS NEAR OR OVER THE AZORES LATE SATURDAY OR SUNDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AFTER HELENE BECOMES A POST-TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER THE WEEKEND.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.

PREPARED BY FORECASTER: PATRICIA WEEKS