Matthew Intensifies and Moves Northwest of the Bahamas

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 7 (acn) The Institute of Meteorology reported that in the early hours of Thursday Hurricane Matthew continued to move northwest at about 19 kilometers per hour, battering central Bahamas.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to 205 kph, with higher gusts, so it continues to be a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale, of a maximum of five. Its central pressure has dropped to 944 hPa.
At 6:00 a.m., the center of Matthew was estimated at 24.3 degrees north and 77.2 degrees west, a position that places it about 235 kilometers north-northeast of Cayo Coco, in the northern coast of Ciego de Avila province and 110 kilometers south-southeast of Nassau, Bahamas.
It is predicted that in the next 12 to 24 hours the hurricane will keep the same direction with little change in its speed, gaining in intensity, to continue moving northwest through central Bahamas and cross near the island of Andros, to approach the southeast coast of Florida tonight and again reach category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Heavy sea will continue in Cuba's northeastern coast, with moderate coastal flooding that will extend to Cayo Coco, but will gradually decrease from Punta de Maisi to Cabo Lucrecia.
Light flooding could occur from Cayo Coco to northern Villa Clara in the coming hours. Heavy sea will continue from Punta de Maisi to Cabo Cruz, with coastal flooding from moderate to slight; being slight from Santiago de Cuba Bay to Cabo Cruz, but they will gradually decrease. Small water accumulations will contiue to occur on the southern coast from Las Tunas to Ciego de Avila.