NEWS ITEM ON HURRICANE IAN, ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION AT 6AM EDT, MONDAY 26H SEPTEMBER 2022.

…IAN BECOMES A HURRICANE AND ADDITIONAL RAPID STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED TODAY…

…EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT WIND AND STORM SURGE IMPACTS IN WESTERN CUBA…

AT 5AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.2° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 82.3 ° WEST, OR ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAND CAYMAN.

IAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MILES PER HOUR. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY FOLLOWED BY A NORTHWARD MOTION ON TUESDAY WITH A SLIGHTLY SLOWER FORWARD SPEED. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST IS FORECAST ON TUESDAY NIGHT OR EARLY WEDNESDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF IAN IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR OR WEST OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS TODAY, AND NEAR OR OVER WESTERN CUBA TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. IAN WILL THEN EMERGE OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO ON TUESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 75 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RAPID STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO, AND IAN IS FORECAST TO BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE TONIGHT W NEAR WESTERN CUBA.