The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL weather forecasters are monitoring Tropical Storm Franklin, one of five systems being tracked in the Atlantic.

“As it stands now, the ones we are concentrating on right now that has potential to impact over the next couple of days, that would be Franklin and potentially for the south-east Bahamas because, based on its track, we expect it to move just east of Turks and Caicos by Thursday,” said Mary Walker, the chief meteorologist in the Department of Meteorology.

“That’s if it gains any traction in strength because I think it’s at three miles per hour which is considered stationary. It would put the storm just east, according to the track, just east of Turks and Caicos.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, Tropical Storm Franklin was said to be moving northwest near 3mph.

Forecasters predict the storm would reach the southern coast of Hispaniola on Wednesday before moving off the northern coast of that country.

Ms Walker said although the system does not currently pose a severe threat to The Bahamas, the country could still be impacted.

“Even though it’d be east of Turks and Caicos, you know how close we are to the Turks and Caicos Islands, and we will definitely, if it continues on its track, experience some effects of the storm,” she said.

“That’s rainfall, moderate to heavy rainfall and maybe the chance of tropical storm force winds depending on how close the centre comes to the southeast Bahamas.”

As for the other systems in the area, post-tropical cyclone Emily and tropical depression Gert, she said there was no cause for concern.

“Gert and Emily,” she said, “they’re being downgraded right now. What I mean is they’re not building to the point where they’re given much attention. Now I’ve seen on the forecasted track that they were giving them a large percentage of development, but that hasn’t occurred.”

She urged Bahamians to stay vigilant and remain prepared because this is peak hurricane season.

The 2023 hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.