ALERT #4 ON TROPICAL STORM SANDY ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY, TUESDAY, 23RD OCTOBER 2012 AT 9PM EDT.
…..SANDY IS MOVING NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD TOWARD JAMAICA…
…..A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS…..
A WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS COULD AFFECT THE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 48 HOURS.
AT 8 PM EDT…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM SANDY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.8° DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 77.5° DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 225 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 525 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF RAGGED ISLAND.
TROPICAL STORM SANDY IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MILES PER HOUR. A NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD TO NORTHWARD MOTION AT A FASTER FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF SANDY WILL MOVE NEAR OR OVER JAMAICA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND NEAR OR OVER EASTERN CUBA WEDNESDAY NIGHT… AND APPROACH THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS THURSDAY MORNING AND THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SANDY IS EXPECTED TO STRENGTHEN INTO A HURRICANE BY THE TIME IT NEARS JAMAICA.
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER. A HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING SANDY.
RESIDENTS IN THE BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLAND SHOULD READY THEMSELVES FOR VERY STRONG WINDS THAT COULD RESULT IN FLYING DEBRIS AND HEAVY RAINS WHICH CAN PRODUCE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON.
THE NEXT ALERT ON TROPICAL STORM SANDY WILL BE ISSUED AT MIDNIGHT (12AM) EDT.
