…BERTHA IS NEAR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS …
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS WHICH INCLUDES ACKLINS AND CROOKED ISLAND, LONG CAY, RAGGED ISLAND, MAYAGUANA AND INAGUA.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS, IN THIS CASE, WITHIN THE NEXT 12 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLANDS OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS WHICH INCLUDES LONG ISLAND, EXUMA AND ITS CAYS, CAT ISLAND, SAN SALVADOR AND RUM CAY.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS, IN THIS CASE, WITHIN 12 TO 24 HOURS.
AT 8 AM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BERTHA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.5 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 71.8 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT, 45 MILES WEST OF GRAND TURK, TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, 120 MILES EAST-NORTHEAST OF INAGUA, 95 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MAYAGUANA AND 430 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NASSAU.
BERTHA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 21 MILES PER HOUR AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST AND THEN TOWARD THE NORTH IS EXPECTED BY TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF BERTHA WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS AND MOVE EAST OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS LATE TONIGHT.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 45 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED TODAY. STRENGTHENING IS TO BEGIN ON MONDAY.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.
ON THE FORECASTED TRACK AND SPEED BERTHA WILL AFFECT THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON AND MAYAGUANA THIS AFTERNOON. THEREFORE RESIDENTS IN THESE ISLANDS SHOULD ENSURE THAT ALL THE NECESSARY PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT THEIR PROPERTIES ARE COMPLETED AND SHOULD REMAIN INDOORS DURING HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS. BOATERS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. BERTHA IS EXPECTED TO PASS TO THE EAST OF THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS TONIGHT. HOWEVER RESIDENTS IN THESE ISLANDS SHOULD REMAIN VIGILENT AND PREPARED IN THE EVENT THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE FORECASTED TRACK.
BERTHA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 5 INCHES OVER THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS THROUGH MONDAY WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING.
THE NEXT ALERT ON TROPICAL STORM BERTHA WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON EDT SUNDAY.
