Published On:Tuesday, August 31, 2010

noon – Powerful Hurricane Earl continues toward the west-northwest, maintaining its 135 mile per hour winds. On this track, Hurricane Earl is expected to pass just east of the Turks and Caicos Islands later tonight and early Wednesday morning.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Turks and Caicos Islands and a Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the Southeast Bahamas including Acklins, Inagua, Mayaguana and Crooked Island.

At 11am, the centre of Hurricane Earl was located near latitude 21.2 degrees north and longitude 67.9 degrees west or about 210 miles east-southeast of Grand Turk and about 320 miles east-southeast of Mayaguana.

Earl is moving toward the west-northwest near 14 miles per hour. A gradual turn toward the northwest is expected today and on the forecast track, Hurricane Earl will pass just to the east of the Turks and Caicos Islands later today and tonight.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 135 miles per hour with higher gusts making Earl a strong category four hurricane. Some fluctuations in strength are likely during the next 24 to 48 hours.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the centre and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 200 miles.

Residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands can expect heavy downpours, strong gusty winds up to tropical storm force, flooding in low lying areas and dangerous battering waves later this afternoon and tonight. Therefore residents should remain indoors once conditions begin to deteriorate and remain ready to take quick action should the storm shift course and increase its threat.

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