MIAMI (BNO NEWS) -- Tropical storm Bonnie formed near the Bahamas on Thursday evening, the second tropical storm of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season, and is expected to soon impact the Gulf oil spill site, Florida and other U.S. states, forecasters said.

As of 11.00 p.m. EDT (0300 GMT Friday), the center of the storm was located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south southeast of Nassau on the Bahamas, or 285 miles (460 kilometers) southeast of Miami. It is moving toward the northwest at a speed of around 14 miles (22 kilometers) per hour. Forward speed, however, is expected to increase during the next two days.

Maximum sustained winds were near 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour, with higher gusts.

The government of the Bahamas issued a tropical storm warning for the central and northwestern Bahamas, while the National Hurricane Center issued warning and watches for parts of Florida.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Florida east coast from Deerfield Beach southward. It includes the entire Florida Keys and Florida Bay. A tropical storm warning is also in effect along the west coast of Florida, northward to Englewood.

A tropical storm watch has also been issued for the east coast of Florida, north of Golden Beach to Jupiter Inlet. That includes Lake Okeechobee.

Winds near tropical storm force were already affecting portions of the southeastern Bahamas on Thursday morning, and will spread over the central and northwestern Bahamas on Thursday night and Friday.

The storm is further expected to produce total rain accumulations of three to five inches over the central and northwest Bahamas, with possible isolated amounts of five to seven inches.

In Florida, on the coast within the warning area and the Florida Keys, weather conditions are expected to begin to deteriorate on Friday. "The depression is expected to produce total rain accumulations of two to four inches over south Florida, with possible isolated maximum amounts of five to six inches," the forecasters said.

Additionally, storm surge is expected to raise water levels over portions of the Bahamas and the Florida Keys by as much as one to two feet above ground level.

However, the future development of the storm is still uncertain and could change. But, forecasters said, the storm is certainly not expected to become a hurricane.

"The cyclone is still interacting with a strong westward-moving upper low to the west," forecasters said on Thursday morning. "This pattern would only allow the depression to strengthen a little as indicated in the official forecast. But this forecast is uncertain. In fact, none of the models show significant intensification."

The tropical storm is also expected to impact the Gulf oil spill site, where thousands of people are working in its aftermath. National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen on Thursday evening ordered ships to evacuate the area.

"Due to the risk that Tropical Storm Bonnie poses to the safety of the nearly 2,000 people responding to the BP oil spill at the well site, many of the vessels and rigs will be preparing to move out of harm's way beginning tonight," Allen said. "This includes the rig drilling the relief well that will ultimately kill the well, as well as other vessels needed for containment. Some of the vessels may be able to remain on site, but we will err on the side of safety."

Allen said he directed BP to continue with the well shut in procedure while the work to kill the well is temporarily suspended. "I have also directed BP to take measures to ensure the vessels operating the ROV's are the last to leave, and the first to return in order to maximize monitoring of the well," he added. "Monitoring of the site during the well integrity test remains one of the government's highest priorities."

Allen said that, while these actions may delay the effort to kill the well for several days, the safety of the individuals at the well site is the government's highest concern. "We are staging our skimming vessels and other assets in a manner that will allow us to promptly re-start oil mitigation efforts as soon as the storm passes and we can ensure the safety of our personnel," he concluded.

Also on Thursday, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency for his state in preparation for Bonnie, which may eventually hit Louisiana after it passed over Florida.

"[Tropical Storm Bonnie] is expected to impact the coastal parishes of Louisiana with possible hurricane strength winds, wave surges, high tides, torrential rain and tornado activity," Jindal wrote in his proclamation. "The storm is expected to make impact with the Louisiana coast during the night of Friday, July 23rd or morning of Saturday, July 24th, 2010, with the expectation that tropical or hurricane force winds will reach the coast prior to landfall."

"The forecast from the National Weather Service indicates that the coastal parishes of Louisiana will be subjected to tropical force or hurricane conditions to such a degree that life and property will be placed in jeopardy," he added.

It is the sixth time that a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean has been named Bonnie. The first time was in August 1980 when a hurricane formed midway between Cape Verde and the Windward Islands, but it never made landfall.

In June 1986, Hurricane Bonnie formed over the central Gulf of Mexico but never exceeded category 1 strength. It made landfall just southwest of Sea Rim State Park in Texas on June 26, causing heavy rainfall and several tornadoes in Texas and Louisiana. Three people were reported killed in the area of Port Arthur in Texas as a result.

In September 1992, Category 2 Hurricane Bonnie formed in the Atlantic but moved very slowly for a large part of its lifetime. It affected the Azores with tropical storm conditions, shortly before it became extratropical, but there were no reports of casualties.

And in August 1998, Category 3 Hurricane Bonnie made landfall in North Carolina. It was the first hurricane of the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season and caused major damage in the region, leaving at least five people killed and several others injured.

Finally, Tropical Storm Bonnie formed in early August 2004 and made landfall in Florida, causing only minimal damage. A resulting tornado outbreak in South Carolina and North Carolina, however, left three people dead.

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