Bad weather coming according to the MET

NEMA Bracing for Tropical Storm Emily

Nassau, The Bahamas – The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, is closely monitoring the movement of Tropical Storm Emily, as tropical storm warnings and watches have been issued for islands in the Southeast including the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Central Bahamas.

Officials at NEMA have put members of its Emergency Function Support group on notice, to report to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in the event the storm strengthens and poses a direct threat to parts of the southeast and central Bahamas.

NEMA is in the process of carrying out its regular monthly checks on satellite phones installed at the Family Island administrators’ offices, giving special focus to those island expected to be impacted first.

On Monday, August 1, 2011, Director of NEMA Captain Stephen Russell accompanied by personnel from the Ministry of Health and Department of Social Services travelled to islands in the Southeast Bahamas to inspect the state of readiness should a storm or other disaster strike.

Captain Russell said he was pleased at the level of preparedness on those family islands.

On Wednesday, August 3, 2011, the Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued a tropical storm warning for the Southeast Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which includes Inagua, Mayaguana, Crooked Island, Acklins and Ragged Island.

A warning means that tropical storm conditions are possible in the mentioned islands within 36 hours.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Central Bahamas, which includes the islands of Cat Island, Great Exuma and its Cays, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador.

NEMA will continue to monitor the storm and keep the public inform of its development and movement.

Meanwhile, NEMA will hold its regular monthly meeting at the Churchill Building, at 10:30 am Friday, August 5, 2011. All emergency support function committee members are expected to attend.

ALERT #10 ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY, Wednesday, August 3, 2011, AT 3 P.M.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, WHICH INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF INAGUA, MAYAGUANA, CROOKED ISLAND, ACKLINS AND RAGGED ISLAND.

A WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS, WHICH INCLUDES THE ISLANDS OF CAT ISLAND, GREAT EXUMA AND ITS CAYS, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE INTHE MENTIONED ISLANDS WITHIN 48 HOURS.

AT 2:00 P.M. THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EMILY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.8 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 70.3 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 360 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GREAT INAGUA AND 330 MILES SOUTH OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.

EMILY IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR AT 14 MILES PER HOUR AND A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY. ON ITS FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF EMILY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS HISPANIOLA LATE TODAY AND OVER HAITI TONIGHT AND INTO THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS ON THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAINS NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST TODAY. HOWEVER, SOME WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS IT MOVES OVER HISPANIOLA, FOLLOWED BY SOME STRENGTHENING WHEN THE CENTER EMERGES OVER BAHAMIAN WATERS.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD 115 MILES MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS SHOULD COMPLETE FINAL PREPARATIONS TODAY AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF EMILY.

RESIDENTS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE STORM AND ENSURE THAT ALL PRE-SEASON PRECAUTIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND BEGIN FINAL PREPARATIONS TODAY.

SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT AND SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS IN THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD NOT VENTURE FAR FROM PORT.

THE NEXT ALERT WILL BE ISSUED AT 6 P.M.

ISSUED BY: BASIL A. DEAN