ALERT #3 ON TROPICAL DEPRESSION NUMBER 16 ISSUED 6PM, TUESDAY September 28, 2010, BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS WHICH INCLUDES GRAND BAHAMA, ABACO, BIMINI, THE BERRY ISLANDS, NEW PROVIDENCE, ANDROS, ELEUTHERA, CAT ISLAND, EXUMA AND ITS CAYS, LONG ISLAND, RUM CAY AND SAN SALVADOR.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS.
AT 5 PM THE CENTERE OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION NUMBER 16 WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.5 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 82.4 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 350 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BIMINI AND 395 MILES SOUTHWEST OF NEW PROVIDENCE.
THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 10 MILES PER HOUR.
ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF THE TROPICAL CYCLONE WILL CROSS CUBA TONIGHT AND BE NEAR OR OVER SOUTHERN FLORIDA AND JUST WEST OF THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS AND THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM TONIGHT OR WEDNESDAY BEFORE MERGING WITH A FRONTAL ZONE ON THURSDAY.
RESIDENTS IN THE WARNING AREAS SHOULD BRACE THEMSELVES FOR STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW-LYING AREAS AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO SECURE OUTDOOR ITEMS THAT COULD BECOME FLYING MISSILES.
SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT.
THE NEXT ALERT WILL BE ISSUED AT 9PM EDT
