News Item on Tropical Storm Michael issued by The Bahamas of Meteorology Forecast Office Section, 6AM THURSDAY, 11TH OCTOBER 2018.

…MICHAEL CONTINUES TO WEAKEN OVER EASTERN GEORGIA… …WINDS INCREASING ALONG PORTIONS OF THE GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA COAST…

AT 5:00AM EDT, THE EYE OF TROPICAL STORM MICHAEL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 33.5°NORTH AND LONGITUDE 82.5° WEST OR ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA OR 90 MILES NORTHEAST OF MACON, GEORGIA.

MICHAEL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 21 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED THROUGH TONIGHT. A TURN TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST AND AN EVEN FASTER FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED ON FRIDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF MICHAEL WILL MOVE THROUGH EASTERN GEORGIA INTO THE CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA THIS MORNING, THEN MOVES ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL & EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA & SOUTHEASTERN VIRGINIA INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN BY LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR (MPH) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TODAY WHILE THE CENTER REMAINS OVER LAND. HOWEVER, MICHAEL IS FORECAST TO INTENSIFY AS IT BECOMES A POST-TROPICAL LOW OVER THE ATLANTIC LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY FRIDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 12PM.

PREPARED BY ON-DUTY FORECASTER: KAYLINDA WARD-FORBES