The Bahamas Department of Meteorology has issued A Severe Thunderstorm Warning from 5:00 PM EDT until 7:00 PM EDT WEDNESDAY 21ST AUGUST 2019.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LONG ISLAND, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS AND MAYAGUANA ALONG WITH THEIR ADJACENT WATERS.

AT 4:50 PM, LIGHTNING DETECTION, RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWED CLUSTERS OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING ACROSS AND TOWARDS THE WARNING AREAS.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE AT TIMES CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG GUSTY WINDS, DANGEROUS LIGHTNING, HEAVY DOWNPOURS, HAIL AND POSSIBLE WATERSPOUT OR TORNADIC ACTIVITY. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO POSSIBLE IN LOW LYING AND FLOOD PRONE AREAS.

BOATERS IN THE WARNING AREAS SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOUR AND RESIDENTS IN THE WARNING AREAS SHOULD STAY INDOORS AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS AS CONDITIONS WORSEN. RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES OR IN WATER AS THESE CAN BECOME LIGHTNING CONDUCTORS.

ISSUED BY DUTY FORECASTER: C. WATSON-RAHMING/ K. WARD-FORBES/ GREGORY D THOMPSON