BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) — A tropical storm warning is now in effect for Palm Beach County as Hurricane Sandy blows off the coast.
The latest from the National Hurricane Center:
TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE EAST COAST OF
FLORIDA FROM OCEAN REEF TO SEBASTIAN INLET.
THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN EXTENDED ALONG THE EAST COAST OF
FLORIDA TO FLAGLER BEACH.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT…
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* JAMAICA
* CUBAN PROVINCES OF CAMAGUEY…LAS TUNAS…GRANMA…SANTIAGO DE
CUBA…HOLGUIN…AND GUANTANAMO
* THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS
* THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* HAITI
* FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM OCEAN REEF TO SEBASTIAN INLET
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR…
* THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS
* FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM NORTH OF SEBASTIAN INLET TO FLAGLER BEACH
* FLORIDA UPPER KEYS FROM OCEAN REEF TO CRAIG KEY
* FLORIDA BAY
A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND
PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA…IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24
TO 36 HOURS.
A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE
WITHIN THE WATCH AREA….IN THIS CASE WITHIN 36 TO 48 HOURS.
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE
THE UNITED STATES…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
——————————
AT 500 PM EDT…2100 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE SANDY WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 18.3 NORTH…LONGITUDE 76.6 WEST. SANDY IS MOVING
TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 14 MPH…22 KM/H. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH AN INCREASE IN
FORWARD SPEED EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY. A TURN TOWARD THE
NORTH-NORTHWEST AND A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ARE EXPECTED ON
FRIDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE CENTER OF SANDY WILL MOVE OVER
PORTIONS OF EASTERN CUBA OVERNIGHT…MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE CENTRAL
BAHAMAS THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT…AND MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE
NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS ON FRIDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH…130 KM/H…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. SANDY IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS SANDY MOVES
OVER EASTERN CUBA…WITH SOME RESTRENGTHENING EXPECTED AFTER SANDY
MOVES INTO THE BAHAMAS.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES…45 KM…FROM
THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140
MILES…220 KM. KINGSTON JAMAICA RECENTLY REPORTED A SUSTAINED WIND
OF 44 MPH…70 KM/H.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE BASED ON SURFACE OBSERVATIONS
FROM JAMAICA IS 970 MB…28.64 INCHES.
LOCAL JOURNALISM SUPPORTER.
