Hurricane Melissa downgrades to CAT 1 as it accelerates past the Bahamas

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - Hurricane Melissa is currently 80-miles southeast of the central Bahamas and 890-miles southwest from Bermuda with maximum sustained winds of 90-mph.

Its hurricane-force winds extend outward from the center up to 60 miles and tropical-storm-force winds up to 185 miles.

There's currently a Hurricane Warning in effect for southeastern and central Bahamas, Bermuda along with a Tropical Storm Warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The National Hurricane Center says that Hurricane Melissa is moving northeast near 16-mph with an acceleration to the northeast over the next few days.

The NHC forecasts that "the core of Melissa is expected to move across the southeastern or central Bahamas [Wednesday evening then] pass near or to the west of Bermuda late Thursday."

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