NEWS ITEM ON POTENTIAL TROPICAL CYCLONE SIXTEEN ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 12 PM FRIDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2019.

...NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT FINDS THE SYSTEM STRONGER... ...

DANGEROUS STORM SURGE AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...

AT 11 AM EDT, THE DISTURBANCE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.9° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 90.0° WEST, OR ABOUT 230 MILES SOUTH- SOUTHWEST OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

THE SYSTEM IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 22 MILES PER HOUR AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT, AND THEN MOVE INLAND ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 60 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY, WITH WEAKENING FORECAST AFTER THE SYSTEM MOVES INLAND.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER(S): C. WATSON-RAHMING/SHEZELLE MATHER