NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM SEBASTIEN ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 12PM, THURSDAY, 21ST NOVEMBER, 2019.

...SEBASTIEN EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY TONIGHT...

AT 11:00 AM AST, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM SEBASTIEN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.5° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 60.5° WEST OR 405 MILES NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.

SEBASTIEN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MILES PER HOUR. A FASTER NORTHEASTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 60 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SEBASTIEN IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY TONIGHT, BUT A WEAKENING TREND IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN BY LATE FRIDAY. THE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BECOME AN EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE BY SATURDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER(S): S. SEARS / ANASTASHIA FERNANDE