NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM EARL ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY, FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, ON TUESDAY 2ND AUGUST 2016 AT 1PM.
AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE FINDS TROPICAL STORM EARL IN NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA
EARL IS THE FIFTH TROPICAL STORM OF THE 2016 HURRICANE SEASON
AT 12PM EDT, TROPICAL STORM EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.3° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 80.2° WEST OR ABOUT 215 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN.
EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 22 MPH AND THIS MOTION, WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF EARL WILL BE MOVING VERY CLOSE TO THE NORTH COAST OF HONDURAS LATER TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY THEN, APPROACH BELIZE AND THE YUCANTAN PENINSULA LATE WEDNESDAY. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1001 MB.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST BEFORE EARL REACHES THE YUCANTAN PENINSULA. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES FROM THE CENTER.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT 6PM
PREPARED BY FORECASTER: SHEZELLE MATHER
TUESDAY 2ND AUGUST 2016 12:30 PM
