Hurricane Joaquin hitting Central Bahamas

Position on Thursday afternoon

Hurricane Joaquin intensified to an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm Thursday afternoon, and continues to hammer the central Bahamas with hurricane-force winds, storm surge flooding and torrential rain.

Joaquin Blasting the Central Bahamas

Joaquin’s eyewall is hammering Samana Cays, the Acklins, Crooked Island, and Mayaguana in the central Bahamas, and is nearing Rum Cay, San Salvador and Long Island (Bahamas).

Flooding from storm surge and torrential rainfall has been documented on Long Island and the Acklins. A Weather Underground personal weather station at Pitts Town, Crooked Island, has reported winds up to 84 mph, so far.

With the Category 4 hurricane passing close to the islands at a relatively slow speed, a catastrophic situation may unfold there with a prolonged period of intense hurricane conditions.

Hurricane warnings continue in a large swath of the Bahamas and tropical storm warnings have been expanded to include the Turks and Caicos.

The Weather Channel