Hurricane Ike Advisory #2 - Hurricane Ike heads toward the Bahamas
By CDERA
Fri, 5 Sep 2008, 18:26
Message: Hurricane Ike heads toward the Bahamas (As at 5.00p.m. September 5, 2008)
The Situation:
A Hurricane Watch is effect for the Turks and Caicos islands and the Southeastern Bahamas.
At 5.00 p.m today, September 5, 2008 the centre of Hurricane Ike was located near latitude 22.9 North and longitude 64.1 West or about 430 miles (690 km) northeast of the Leeward Islands and about 460 miles (735 km) east-northeast of Grand Turk Island.
Ike is moving toward the west-southwest near 15 mph (24 km/hr) . A motion toward the west or west-southwest is expected tonight and tomorrow with a general motion to the west expected by Sunday. On this track Ike could be near the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeastern Bahamas early Sunday.
Hurricane Ike is a category three hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds near 115 mph (185 km/hr) with higher gusts. Hurricane Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 120 miles (195 km).
Hurricane Ike is expected to be a major hurricane as it nears the hurricane watch area.
National Actions:
Even as damage assessments and recovery efforts are being carried out in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands in the wake of Hurricane Hanna, monitoring and preparing for Hurricane Ike are now priority.
The National Emergency Management Agency in the Bahamas has reported that urgent preparations are being advanced for a probable impact from Ike.
Reports from the Turks and Caicos Islands Department of Disasters and Emergencies Office have indicated that extensive planning is underway for Ike and this is being supported by a UK Support Team. Tourists are being transferred off the Islands and Salt Cay is being evacuated. Arrangements are being made to obtain emergency food from Miami.
Regional Response:
The Caribbean Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology continues to brief CDERA on the progress of Ike and to provide analysis on its development and probable effect on the islands.
CDERA has developed scenarios to assist its response planning operations and has shared these with the threatened states, Jamaica sub-regional focal points and other critical members of the Regional Response Mechanism.
Radio and other communications checks with the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands are being carried out by CDERA.
CDERA is in the process of coordinating arrangements to have in place a damage assessment team on standy for deployment to TCI in the event that they are affected by Hurricane Ike.
The Regional Response Mechanism is also on standby.
Contact Details: The CDERA CU 24hr contact number is 1 246 425 0386