ALERT #8 ON TROPICAL STORM BRET ISSUED BY THE BAHAMAS DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY MONDAY 18^TH JULY 2011 AT 2 PM EDT.

…..TROPICAL STORM BRET CONTINUES TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD TO THE NORTH OF ABACO ISLAND…..

TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE ISLANDS OF GRAND BAHAMA AND ABACO IN THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA….GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

AT 2:00 PM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BRET WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.1 DEGREES NORTH AND LONGITUDE 77.3 DEGREES WEST OR ABOUT 75 MILES NORTHEAST OF COOPER’S TOWN ABACO.

TROPICAL STORM BRET IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 6 MILES PER HOUR AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED WITH SOME INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK BRET WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE BAHAMAS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MILES PER HOUR WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 50 MILES FROM THE CENTER.

BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF BRET TO GRAND BAHAMA AND ABACO ISLANDS RESIDENTS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AND MODERATE TO HEAVY SWELLS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY.

SMALL CRAFT OPERATORS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT AND CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE BRET.

THE NEXT ALERT WILL BE ISSUED AT 5 PM EDT.

ISSUED BY: BASIL A. DEAN