Hurricane Hunters Find Matthew Has Strengthened Slightly
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Hurricane hunters find Matthew has slightly strengthened, and the storm is forecast to bring life-threatening rain, wind and storm surge to parts of Haiti on Monday night.
At 11 p.m. the center of the Category 4 hurricane was about 190 miles southwest of Port au Prince, Haiti.
Matthew's maximum sustained winds have increased to 145 mph with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles.
Some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next couple of days, but Matthew is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through at least Wednesday.
Matthew is moving toward the north near 7 mph and this general motion is expected to continue Monday night through Tuesday. A turn toward the north-northwest is forecast on Wednesday.
On the forecast track, the center of Matthew will approach southwestern Haiti Monday night and Tuesday morning, move near eastern Cuba late Tuesday and move near or over portions of the southeastern and central Bahamas Tuesday night and Wednesday.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:
- Haiti
- Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Granma and Las Tunas
- Southeastern Bahamas, including the Inaguas, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay and Ragged Island
- Central Bahamas, including Long Island, Exuma, Rum Cay, San Salvador and Cat Island
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for:
- Cuban province of Camaguey
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- Northwestern Bahamas, including the Abacos, Andros Island, Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island and New Providence
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:
- Dominican Republic from Barahona westward to the border with Haiti
- Jamaica
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:
- Dominican Republic from Puerto Plata westward to the border with Haiti
Residents and visitors in Hispaniola, the Bahamas, Florida and the Keys should monitor the progress of Matthew.
Hurricane conditions are expected to first reach Haiti Monday night, eastern Cuba Tuesday, the southeastern Bahamas late Tuesday and the central Bahamas on Wednesday.
Cuba and the Turks and Caicos Islands should expect hurricane conditions Islands by Tuesday night with tropical storm conditions possible on Tuesday.
Further into the week, hurricane conditions are possible in the northwestern Bahamas on Thursday, with tropical storm conditions possible on Wednesday.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to continue spreading across Haiti, Jamaica and along the southern coast of the Dominican Republic Monday evening, reach eastern Cuba Monday night, the southeastern Bahamas early Tuesday and the central Bahamas Tuesday night, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous
Matthew is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 15 to 25 inches across southern Haiti and the southwestern portion of the Dominican Republic, with possible isolated amounts of 40 inches.
Across eastern Cuba and northwest Haiti, total rain accumulations of 8 to 12 inches are expected with possible isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches.
This rainfall will likely produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Across eastern Jamaica, total rainfall of 5 to 10 inches is expected, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 to 20 inches possible.
Matthew is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 8 to 12 inches over the southeastern Bahamas, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches. Matthew is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 5 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 8 inches over the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Lower amounts are expected across the northeastern section of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with amounts ranging from 1 to 3 inches with isolated amounts around 5 inches.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and large and destructive waves could raise water levels by as much as the following amounts above normal tide levels:
- Southern Coast of Cuba east of Cabo Cruz about 7 to 11 feet
- South Coast of Haiti about 7 to 10 feet
- Northern Coast of Cuba east of Camaguey about 4 to 6 feet
- Jamaica about 2 to 4 feet
- Gulf of Gonave in Haiti about 3 to 5 feet
- Southern coast of the Dominican Republic about 1 to 3 feet
- Bahamas about 10 to 15 feet
Swells generated by Matthew will continue to affect portions of the coasts of Hispaniola, Jamaica, Aruba, Colombia, eastern Cuba, and the Caribbean coastline of Central America during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
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