MIAMI – A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Northern Coast of Haiti from Le Mole St Nicholas Eastward to the northern border with the Dominican Republic.
A Hurricane Warning remains in effect for the Central Bahamas, The Southeastern Bahamas, and The Turks And Caicos Islands.
At 11am the center of Tropical Storm Hanna was located about 20 miles west-southwest of Great Inagua Island and about 370 miles southeast of Nassau.
Hanna is moving toward the west-southwest near 6 mph/hr. A turn toward the northwest is expected tonight and Wednesday with an increase in forward speed. Hanna will move over the Southeastern Bahamas today and into the Central Bahamas tonight and Wednesday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is forecast during the next 24 hours. An Air Force reconnaissance aircraft will investigate Hanna this afternoon. Some strengthening is possible on Wednesday Night and Thursday.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles from the center.
Hanna is expected to produce rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches with isolated amounts of 12 inches over the Southeastern Bahamas, The Turks and Caicos Islands and Eastern Cuba. Rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches with isolated maximum amounts of up to 20 inches are possible over Hispaniola where these rains could cause life-threatening mudslides and flash flooding.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels along with large and dangerous battering waves can be expected in areas of onshore flow within the hurricane warning area.
Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip currents along portions of the Southeastern United States coast during the next couple of days.
