MIAMI, USA: According to the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Tropical Storm Franklin, the sixth named tropical storm of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, has formed close to the Bahamas. At 11 pm EDT Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Franklin was located near latitude 26.1 north, longitude 76.3 west or about 100 miles northeast of Nassau in the northwestern Bahamas. Franklin is moving toward the northwest near 13 mph and this motion is expected to continue overnight, followed by a gradual turn toward the north with a decrease in forward speed. Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours. Franklin is a small system, with tropical storm force winds extending outward up to 40 miles mainly to the northeast from the center. Franklin could produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches over the northwestern Bahamas. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the northwestern Bahamas, for Eleuthera, New Providence, the Berry Islands, the Abacos and Grand Bahama island. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local weather office. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com