NEWS ITEM ON TROPICAL STORM GASTON ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FORECAST OFFICE SECTION, AT 6AM WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST 2016.
FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY
AT 5 AM EDT, THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GASTON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.9° NORTH AND LONGITUDE 38.6° WEST OR ABOUT 975 MILES WEST OF CABO VERDE ISLANDS.
GASTON IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH. A TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 70 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO AND GASTON IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY.
THE NEXT NEWS ITEM WILL BE ISSUED AT NOON.
PREPARED BY DUTY FORECASTER: IAN V. MCKENZIE
24TH AUGUST 2016 @ 5:40AM
