THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FROM 7:30 AM EDT UNTIL 9:30 AM EDT MONDAY 26TH AUGUST 2019.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR ABACO AND ITS ADJACENT WATERS.

AT 7:25 AM, LIGHTNING DETECTOR, RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTED LINES OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARDS AND ACROSS THE WARNING AREA. THIS AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER IS ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE AND A TRAILING TROUGH IN THE VICINITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA.

SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE AT TIMES AND 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 AREA SHOULD SEEK SAFE HARBOUR AND RESIDENTS IN THE WARNING AREA 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/P WEEKS