The 2009’s first hurricane of the season is now a major category 4 storm with sustained winds near 135 MPH.
Here’s the text from the National Hurricane Center:
…BILL STRENGTHENS TO A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE…
INTERESTS IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND BERMUDA SHOULD MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF BILL.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA
OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
AT 500 AM AST…0900 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 18.0 NORTH…LONGITUDE 54.9 WEST OR ABOUT 460 MILES…
740 KM…EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.
BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH…26 KM/HR…
AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT
24 TO 48 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK…THE CORE OF THIS DANGEROUS
HURRICANE WILL BE PASSING WELL TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN
LEEWARD ISLANDS LATE TODAY AND EARLY THURSDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH…215 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. BILL IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT
24 HOURS. A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY ENROUTE TO
INVESTIGATE BILL.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES…75 KM…FROM
THE CENTER…AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO
175 MILES…280 KM.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 948 MB…27.99 INCHES.
LARGE SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH BILL WILL BE IMPACTING THE ISLANDS OF
THE NORTHEAST CARIBBEAN SEA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. LARGE
SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH BILL SHOULD ALSO BEGIN TO AFFECT BERMUDA AND
PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN COAST OF THE UNITED STATES FRIDAY AND
SATURDAY.
Bill’s forecast track (NHC):
We are also watching the remnants of Ana in the Caribbean. Looks like rain for Florida late week into the weekend from her leftovers, but she will have no major impact on Alabama.
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