Published On:Monday, August 30, 2010

A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for the islands just southeast of The Bahamas.

At 2pm the centre of Hurricane Earl was located near latitude 19 degrees north and longitude 64.2 degrees west or about 490 miles east-southeast of Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos.

Hurricane Earl is moving toward the west-northwest near 15 miles an hour and a turn toward the northwest is expect on Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 125 miles per hour with higher gusts. Hurricane Earl is now a major category three hurricane and is expected to get stronger over the next 48 hours. Residents of the Turks and Caicos Islands should remain alert and be ready to take quick action if the storm shifts course and increases its threat.

Residents of the southeast Bahamas should continue to monitor the progress of Hurricane Earl. Gusty winds to tropical storm force and localised flooding in low lying areas can be expected late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning as Hurricane Earl passes east of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Small craft operators should remain in port and continue to monitor the progress of Earl.