The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

Meteorologists are still unsure about the chances of Tropical Storm Issac impacting The Bahamas as a hurricane, but warn the country should still prepare for rough weather.

According to AccuWeather meteorologist Mike Pigott, Isaac could very well turn into a Hurricane over the Caribbean as soon as the end of this week and the southern portion of The Bahamas might be impacted.

“Taking a look at things - in Nassau itself, I think it’s going to pass just to your east, but (The Bahamas) is definitely within that window of possibility so people should at least think about making preparations for the possibility of a hurricane,” he said.

“Right now its currently still a tropical storm and hasn’t intensified much, but some strengthening is expected overnight. It’s still expected to pass across the southern part of Dominican Republic and Haiti and up to eastern Cuba. But after that, whether it passes on the eastern side of Florida or the western side of Florida - there’s still a little bit of uncertainty.”

But, Mr Pigott noted, the storm is beginning to look as though it will “mainly” pass along the western side of Florida and away from Nassau and The Bahamas.

“Regardless, I still think (The Bahamas) is going to be looking at heavy thunderstorms, wind gusts, and definitely large waves and dangerous surf,” he said. “Certainly, the southern Bahamas is going to take much more of the brunt because I think they are going to see a closer path than Nassau or Freeport.”

In a statement released by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday, the group said a meeting is scheduled with its other Emergency Support Function groups to monitor and track the path of Issac and “any potential threat” it poses to the country.

NEMA promises another statement on Thursday after the meeting.

The Department of Meteorology has also issued Alert #1 on the tropical storm, putting an alert out for Inagua in the Southeast.