Surf from Hurricane Katia could affect Eastern Beaches of Eleuthera

The National Hurricane Center in Miami, continues to issue alerts on Hurricane Katia which is well north of the Virgin islands as a Category two storm, posing no direct threat to land, except for the waves it is churning up. According to the 11:00am update on September 05, 2011 from the NHC under the subheading HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND:  "SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY KATIA ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT MOST OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES...BERMUDA...THE GREATER ANTILLES...AND EAST-FACING BEACHES OF THE BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. SWELLS AFFECTING THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE TODAY.  PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION."

The complete alert on the storm is as follows:

HURRICANE KATIA ADVISORY NUMBER  30
NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL       AL122011
1100 AM AST MON SEP 05 2011

...KATIA STRENGTHENS AND DEVELOPS A LARGE EYE...


SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...24.6N 63.3W
ABOUT 540 MI...870 KM S OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH...175 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 310 DEGREES AT 13 MPH...20 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...965 MB...28.50 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE KATIA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 63.3 WEST.  KATIA
IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 13 MPH...20 KM/H...AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION WITH A SLIGHT DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED
THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/H...
WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  KATIA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE
SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.  ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS
FORECAST...AND KATIA COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE LATER TODAY.

HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES...95 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 205
MILES...335 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 965 MB...28.50 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
SURF...LARGE SWELLS GENERATED BY KATIA ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT MOST OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES...BERMUDA...THE GREATER ANTILLES...AND EAST-FACING BEACHES OF THE BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THESE SWELLS ARE LIKELY TO CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. SWELLS AFFECTING THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUBSIDE TODAY.  PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.