5PM UPDATE: Hurricane Matthew aims for Nassau, Bahamas as a cat 4 storm

• NORTHERN EYEWALL OF EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MATTHEW ALREADY POUNDING THE EASTERN TIP OF CUBA

At 500 PM, the eye of Hurricane Matthew was located
near latitude 19.8 North, longitude 74.3 West. Matthew is moving
toward the north near 9 mph (15 km/h). On this track the eye of
Matthew will move over the extreme portion of eastern Cuba in the
next few hours. A turn toward the north-northwest is expected by
Wednesday, followed by a northwest turn Wednesday night. Matthew is
expected to move near or over portions of the southeastern and
central Bahamas tonight and Wednesday, and approach the northwestern
Bahamas Wednesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 140 mph (220 km/h) with higher
gusts. Matthew is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale. Some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next couple of days, but Matthew is expected to remain a powerful hurricane through at least Thursday night. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km).

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SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Haiti
* Cuban provinces of Guantanamo, Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, Granma,
and Las Tunas
* Southeastern Bahamas, including the Inaguas, Mayaguana, Acklins,
Crooked Island, Long Cay, and Ragged Island
* Central Bahamas, including Long Island, Exuma, Rum Cay,
San Salvador, and Cat Island
* Northwestern Bahamas, including the Abacos, Andros Island,
Berry Islands, Bimini, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and
New Providence

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Cuban province of Camaguey
* Golden Beach to the Volusia/Brevard county line

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Dominican Republic from Barahona westward to the border with Haiti
* Turks and Caicos Islands

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...
* Dominican Republic from Puerto Plata westward to the border with
Haiti
* Seven Mile Bridge to south of Golden Beach
* Lake Okeechobee