Hurricane Fiona Strengthens Southeast of the Turks and Caicos

Hurricane Fiona strengthened over the Atlantic Ocean southeast of the Turks and Caicos. At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Fiona was located at latitude 20.6°N and longitude 70.3°W which put it about 80 miles (130 km) southeast of Grand Turk. Fiona was moving toward the north-northwest at 10 m.p.h. (16 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 110 m.p.h. (175 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 971 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the Turks and Caicos. A Hurricane Watch was also in effect for the portion of the coast from Cabo Caucedo to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the Southeastern Bahamas including the Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, the Inaguas, Mayaguana and the Ragged Islands.

Hurricane Fiona resumed intensifying after the core moved north of the Dominican Republic on Monday.. A circular eye with a diameter of 12 miles (19 km) quickly reformed after the center of Fiona moved over the warm water north of the Dominican Republic. The eye was surrounded by a ring of strong thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Hurricane Fiona. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 30 miles (50 km) from the center of Fiona. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 150 miles (240 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Fiona will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Fiona will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move through a region where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Fiona will intensify to a major hurricane on Tuesday. Fiona could strengthen to Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale during the next 36 hours. If the inner end of a rainband wraps around the existing eye and eyewall, then an eyewall replacement cycle could cause Hurricane Fiona to weaken later this week.

Hurricane Fiona will move around the western side of a subtropical high pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Fiona toward the north-northwest during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track the core of Hurricane Fiona will pass east of the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday. An upper level trough near the East Coast of the U.S. will steer Fiona toward the northeast on Wednesday. Hurricane Fiona will affect Bermuda on Thursday night. Fiona could be a major hurricane when it gets to Bermuda.