The 8:00 p.m. advisory from the National Hurricane Center puts Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine in a stationary position about 235 miles (380 kilometers southeast of Great Abaco Island and 310 miles (500 kilometers) southeast of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island.
Maximum sustained winds are presently 30 mph (45 kph) with higher gusts. The disturbance is forecast to become a tropical depression or a tropical storm during the next day or so.
The system is expected to move along or over the east coast of central Florida on Saturday. Residents in the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast areas can expect wet and windy conditions with an isolated tornado threat, according to local station, WPBF.com.
The government of the Bahamas has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the northwestern Bahamas (excluding Andros Island) and tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area by late Friday. More hazard information is available at pic.twitter.com/SKpbh0AIdu
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 12, 2019
The Bahamas and Central Florida could see as much as 2 to 4 inches of rainfall, however, there is no storm surge anticipated at this time.
The ill-defined center of the tropical system was confirmed by satellite, surface observation, and reconnaissance aircraft. The system is expected to move slowly toward the northwest by early Friday, according to NBC News, and this motion is forecast to continue during the next 2 days. On this track, the system is anticipated to move across the central and northwestern Bahamas on Friday, and along or over the east coast of Florida on Saturday.
