11 PM Update | Tropical Depression Four Moving Near Southeastern Bahamas
Tropical Depression Four continues to move on a northwest heading, but has slowed to 9 mph with maximum sustained winds remaining 35 mph. Minimum central pressure is holding at 1005 mb. TD4 is presently located 355 miles east-souteast of the Nassau. For now, the forecast track continues to keep the center to the east of the Bahamian islands away from Nassau and Castaway Cay. The intensity forecast suggests they system could intensify into a tropical storm over the next few hours.
8 PM Update | Tropical Depression Four
Tropical Depression Four continues to move on a northwest heading at 11 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. Minimum central pressure is holding at 1005 mb. TD4 is presently located 245 miles east-souteast of the Central Bahamas. For now, the forecast track continues to keep the center to the east of the Bahamian islands away from Nassau and Castaway Cay.
5 PM Update | FIRST ADVISORY: Invest 96L Develops into Tropical Depression Four
TD4 formed over Turks and Caicos with tropical storm warnings issues for Turks and Caicos as well as parts of the Bahamas. The Hurricane Hunters found a well defined center of circulation earlier this afternoon prompting the NHC to start issuing advisories. The tropical depression is moving northwest at 12 mph. Maximum sustained winds are 35 mph. The forecast indicates the tropical depression will likely strengthen into Tropical Storm Cristobal by the end of the weekend and potentially reach hurricane strength early next week.
According to a report from a passenger onboard the Disney Fantasy, DCL has altered her Eastern Caribbean itinerary and will call on San Juan rather than St Maarten. Additionally, the charted course shown in the stateroom tv suggests she will sail close to the Florida coast down to Cuba before turning east past Hispaniola. The Disney Fantasy typically sails to the east of the Bahamas on Eastern Caribbean cruises.
@TheDCLBlog looks like we will be going very close to the coast of Florida on the way down to St Maarten pic.twitter.com/prg4FPiOSc
— Cam Dezak (@Camm_and_cheese) August 23, 2014
Tropical Cyclone History | Cristobal
This table contains the NHC’s statistics for the tropical cyclone from each advisory.
| Date | Time (EST) | Classification | Max Winds (mph) | Movement/Speed | Pressure (mb) |
| Aug 19-22 | Invest 96L | ||||
| Aug 23 | 5 PM | Tropical Depression | 35 | NW at 12 mph | 1005 |
| 8 PM | 35 | NW at 11 mph | 1005 | ||
| 11 PM | 35 | NW at 9 mph | 1005 | ||
I see the Fantasy has San Juan listed as it’s first stop on it’s current track. I think that’s backward of what it normally does on this itinerary.
The scheduled itinerary was A which is St Maarten then St Thomas. From Cam’s tweet, it sounds like they will sail an altered itinerary B with San Juan then St Thomas.