NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM ZETA ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT 6 AM, TUESDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2020.

...ZETA CONTINUES TO PRODUCE STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA... …STORM SURGE AND HURRICANE WARNINGS ISSUED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST…

AT 5AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ZETAWAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.0° NORTHAND LONGITUDE 88.4° WEST, OR ABOUT 85 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF PROGRESO, MEXICO.

ZETA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH, AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS FORECAST TO CONTINUE TODAY. ZETA SHOULD TOWARD THE NORTH TONIGHT, AND A FASTER NORTHWARD TO NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF ZETA WILL MOVE OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO LATER THIS MORNING, AND OVER THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO TONIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 70 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ZETA IS FORECAST TO RE-STRENGTHEN WHEN IT MOVES OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO LATER THIS MORNING, AND BECOME A HURRICANE AGAIN LATER TODAY.

THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.

PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: C. WATSON-RAHMING