NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM EPSILON ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT 6PM, MONDAY 19TH OCTOBER 2020.

...EPSILON REMAINS STATIONARY OVER THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC...

AT 5 PM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EPSILON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 55.5° WEST, OR ABOUT 730 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA.

EPSILON IS NEARLY STATIONARY AND A SLOW NORTHWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TONIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A NORTHWESTWARD OR WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED THROUGH MIDWEEK. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, EPSILON IS FORECAST TO APPROACH BERMUDA ON THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, AND EPSILON IS FORECAST TO BE AT OR NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH ON WEDNESDAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6 AM (TUESDAY).

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: S. SEARS