BWS: A Tropical Storm Watch Is Now In Effect
A Tropical Storm Watch is now in effect, with the BWS saying Hurricane Sam is a ‘potential threat’, with its closest point of approach to Bermuda within 72 hours forecast to be 193 nm to the ESE at 3.00am on Saturday [Oct 2], with the BWS noting that “this system may move closer to Bermuda after this time period depending upon its track.”
In an update this morning, the BWS said, “Hurricane Sam is a powerful Category 4 storm currently located about 775 miles to the southeast of Bermuda. Sam is confidently forecast to track east of Bermuda by around 200 miles on Saturday morning, and we will likely avoid damaging wind conditions locally.
“However, Sam is still deemed a Potential Threat, and BWS has issued a Tropical Storm Watch this morning. This means that Tropical Storm force winds are possible in the next 48 hours. The current forecast calls for wind possibly reaching 35 knots late overnight on Friday and into the early morning hours of Saturday. Waves offshore outside the reef are forecast to approach 20 feet, with swells building from the southeast through the next couple of days. Stay safe Bermuda, and keep up to date at www.weather.bm .
Graphic courtesy of the BWS:
The latest forecast from the U.S. National Hurricane Center said, “Maximum sustained winds are near 145 mph [230 km/h] with higher gusts. Sam is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
“Some fluctuations in intensity are expected during the next couple of days, but Sam is forecast to remain a major hurricane through Saturday, with more significant weakening anticipated later in the weekend. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles [95 km] from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles [240 km]. ”
Graphic courtesy of the NHC:
This generic statement for all local advisory: BWS noting that “this system may move closer to Bermuda after this time period depending upon its track.” needs to be changed. 99.999% of the time after that ‘closest point’ the system moves away. It is more likely to move close before the time of the projected closest point.
Good to see the Radar is working again. Hope all the tech issues have been resolved.