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Midday Update: Frances Heads for Bahamas
12:30 PM EDT, August 31, 2004
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Justin Consor
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Frances is likely to slam a good portion of the Bahamas on its way toward the U.S.
At 11 AM EDT on Tuesday, Frances was located near 20.0N 64.0W, or about 175 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This position is about 1100 miles east-southeast of Miami.
A hurricane warning has been issued for the southeast Bahamas, and a hurricane watch has been issued for the central Bahamas.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for the Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. John. A tropical storm watch is in effect for much of the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
Frances was moving west at 15 mph. Frances will pass north of the Leeward and Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. As such, these islands will remain on the weaker southern side of the hurricane. Nonetheless, Frances is a fairly large storm, with tropical storm force winds extending out up to 150 miles to the south of its center.
A WeatherBug live sensor in Hato Rey on the north coast of Puerto Rico had received over a quarter-inch of rain on Tuesday through 12:30 PM EDT. Wind gusts there had reached 25 mph. Observations from airports in San Juan, Puerto Rico and on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands showed steady winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 30 mph.
WeatherBug live cameras in Carolina and Caguas in interior northeast Puerto Rico showed rain falling midday Tuesday.
Reports from a hurricane hunter plane indicate that Frances is now a Category Four hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph. Upper level conditions are favorable for some additional strengthening over the next few days.
Official forecasts have Frances gradually curving to the northwest, putting the hurricane near the northern Bahamas by Friday with maximum winds near 145 mph.
Frances is likely to make landfall in the U.S. over the weekend anywhere from Florida to the Carolinas. Landfall could occur as early as late Friday if Frances tracks into south Florida, while it would occur later if Frances tracks further north.
Continue to monitor WeatherBug for the latest satellite loops, positions and forecasts for all of these tropical systems.
If you are affected by any of these storms, send your pictures as quickly as possible using the Your Photos link so we can pass the story on to other WeatherBug users.
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I want to ask a favor from the forum members. I am without a TV, with a radio that only gets 1 station on it, so I feel a little disconnected from the world other than having (limited) Internet access.
I have family that lives just outside of Jacksonville, Florida, and I want to be able to keep up on what this Hurricane is doing.
So, if you hear or see anything relevant to this storm, could you please post it here. I’d really really really appreciate it.
12:30 PM EDT, August 31, 2004
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Justin Consor
Extremely dangerous Hurricane Frances is likely to slam a good portion of the Bahamas on its way toward the U.S.
At 11 AM EDT on Tuesday, Frances was located near 20.0N 64.0W, or about 175 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This position is about 1100 miles east-southeast of Miami.
A hurricane warning has been issued for the southeast Bahamas, and a hurricane watch has been issued for the central Bahamas.
Tropical storm warnings remain in effect for the Puerto Rico, the British Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands of St. Thomas and St. John. A tropical storm watch is in effect for much of the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
Frances was moving west at 15 mph. Frances will pass north of the Leeward and Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. As such, these islands will remain on the weaker southern side of the hurricane. Nonetheless, Frances is a fairly large storm, with tropical storm force winds extending out up to 150 miles to the south of its center.
A WeatherBug live sensor in Hato Rey on the north coast of Puerto Rico had received over a quarter-inch of rain on Tuesday through 12:30 PM EDT. Wind gusts there had reached 25 mph. Observations from airports in San Juan, Puerto Rico and on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands showed steady winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts of 25 to 30 mph.
WeatherBug live cameras in Carolina and Caguas in interior northeast Puerto Rico showed rain falling midday Tuesday.
Reports from a hurricane hunter plane indicate that Frances is now a Category Four hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph. Upper level conditions are favorable for some additional strengthening over the next few days.
Official forecasts have Frances gradually curving to the northwest, putting the hurricane near the northern Bahamas by Friday with maximum winds near 145 mph.
Frances is likely to make landfall in the U.S. over the weekend anywhere from Florida to the Carolinas. Landfall could occur as early as late Friday if Frances tracks into south Florida, while it would occur later if Frances tracks further north.
Continue to monitor WeatherBug for the latest satellite loops, positions and forecasts for all of these tropical systems.
If you are affected by any of these storms, send your pictures as quickly as possible using the Your Photos link so we can pass the story on to other WeatherBug users.
**********************************************************
I want to ask a favor from the forum members. I am without a TV, with a radio that only gets 1 station on it, so I feel a little disconnected from the world other than having (limited) Internet access.
I have family that lives just outside of Jacksonville, Florida, and I want to be able to keep up on what this Hurricane is doing.
So, if you hear or see anything relevant to this storm, could you please post it here. I’d really really really appreciate it.
