The Bahamas

Mass Mandatory evacuations are now underway for South Carolina and Florida as the situation worsens be the minute. Hurricane Matthew could bring catastrophic destruction to the SouthEast coast of the USA. This is a very serious situation. Please take it seriously. God bless everyone, T @newTHOR on twitter https://www.facebook.com/thornewsgo The Article https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-matthew-cuba-haiti-cuba-landfall-bahamas-us-forecast Hurricane Matthew May Be Rare Major Hurricane Strike to Florida East Coast; Conditions Deteriorating in Bahamas Category 3 Matthew is now bearing down on the Bahamas. Hurricane watches and warnings are posted for a swath of eastern Florida. Matthew will likely be the first hurricane strike in South Florida since Wilma. Matthew will then flirt with the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas this weekend. However, the threat to the Northeast has been reduced. Hurricane Matthew is now forecast to strengthen again over warm water north of Cuba, with the Bahamas and parts of Florida's Atlantic coast, the Georgia coast, and coastal Carolinas potentially in line for a strong hurricane strike. A hurricane warning has been expanded north along the east coast of Florida from Golden Beach, Florida, to the Flagler/Volusia County line. Lake Okeechobee has also been placed into a hurricane warning. A hurricane watch remains in effect north the warning to Fernandina Beach, Florida. This includes Orlando, Florida. Tropical storm warnings are in effect from Chokoloskee to Golden Beach in Florida, for the Florida Keys from Seven Mile Bridge eastward, and for Florida Bay. All interests near Florida's East Coast should rush necessary preparations to completion today. Hurricane warnings continue for the entire Bahamas chain as well as eastern Cuba. Latest Status Hurricane Matthew is now north of eastern Cuba, as a reintensifying Category 3 hurricane. Satellite imagery shows convection re-wrapping around the center, and there have been lightning strikes near the eyewall, indicating an intensification is taking place. Matthew's tropical storm-force wind field (at least 39 mph sustained winds) extends up to 175 miles from the center, and hurricane-force winds extend up to 45 miles from the center. Caribbean, Bahamas Impacts Impacts are beginning to wane in Hispañola (including Haiti), but mudslides may continue for days thanks to rain-soaked ground. Eastern Cuba conditions will slowly improve Wednesday, though some rainbands may trigger additional flash flooding. Meanwhile, conditions will steadily worsen in the Bahamas. Here is the approximate timing of the worst wind and surge impacts, coinciding with the nearest passage of the eyewall of Matthew in the Bahamas: Over a foot of rainfall from Matthew will trigger life-threatening flash floods and mudslides. Here are the latest storm-total rainfall amounts from the National Hurricane Center: Southern Haiti, southwest Dominican Republic: 15 to 25 inches, locally up to 40 inches Northwestern Haiti, eastern Cuba: 8 to 12 inches, locally up to 20 inches The Bahamas: 8 to 12 inches, locally up to 15 inches Turks and Caicos: 2 to 5 inches, locally up to 8 inches Northeast Haiti, northern Dominican Republic: 1 to 3 inches, locally up to 5 inches On the current forecast track, here are the latest storm surge forecasts from the NHC, above normal tide levels at high tide: The Bahamas: 10 to 15 feet North coast of Cuba east of Camaguey: 4 to 6 feet It's worth noting this forecast for the Bahamas is on the order of storm surge witnessed during Hurricane Joaquin almost exactly one year ago, only for, potentially, the entire chain, rather than just the central and southeast Bahamas. Battering waves will ride atop the storm surge, and coastal flooding from large waves may begin well in advance and ahead of Matthew's center. This storm surge will also limit rainfall runoff in some places, aggravating flooding, especially in coastal locations where swollen rivers cannot drain. Hurricane-force winds, with peak timing as outlined above, will lead to widespread structural damage, particularly to poorly-built structures, numerous downed trees and widespread power outages. Due to wet ground, trees will be even more susceptible to being toppled. Matthew's center will make a close-enough pass to a large swath of eastern Florida to bring hurricane-force conditions at least to the Atlantic coast. If the center moves close enough, at least the western eyewall could bring destructive winds to at least Category 3 intensity. The reason for this is stronger high pressure aloft persisting over the western Atlantic and East Coast of the U.S., helping to trap Matthew close to the coast.

• published: 05 Oct 2016
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