Bridgetown, Barbados, November 8, 2008 (CDERA) - The Government of the Bahamas has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for the Central Bahamas including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, San Salvador, Crooked Island, Acklins Island and Ragged Island. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours.

At 7:00pm EST today, Saturday, November 8, 2008,  the centre of Hurricane Paloma, a dangerous Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale was located near latitude 20.8 north and longitude 77.9 west or just east of Santa Cruz del Sur Cuba or about 45 miles (70 km) south Camaguey Cuba.

Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195km/hr) with higher gusts.  Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles (185 km).

Paloma is moving toward the northeast near 10 mph (17 km/hr) and this general motion is expected through Sunday with a decrease in forward speed and steady weakening in strength.  On the forecast track the center of Paloma is expected to be nearing the central Bahamas late Sunday, November 9 or on Monday, November 10, 2008.

Paloma is expected to produce five to ten inches of rain over the central Bahamas.  Rainfall accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are possible across Jamaica

The Bahamas has partially activated the National Emergency Operations Centre. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reported that contact has been made with  the threatened islands and they are all in a state of readiness. 

The Coordinating Unit (CU) of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) has been in contact with the Bahamas National Emergency Management Agency and remains ready to provide support if required.

The CDERA CU will continue to monitor closely the progress of Hurricane Paloma  and issue advisories and reports as necessary.

The CDERA CU 24 hour is   246-425-0386  .