ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL DEPRESSION MITCH ADVISORY NUMBER 40 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 9 AM CST SAT OCT 31 1998 ...MITCH DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION...HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT CONTINUES FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AMERICA... AT 9 AM CST...1500Z...THE GOVERNMENTS OF MEXICO...BELIZE... GUATEMALA AND HONDURAS HAVE DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS FOR THE CARIBBEAN COASTS OF THEIR COUNTRIES. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION IN THE COASTAL AND OFFSHORE WATERS. AT 9 AM CST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 88.7 WEST OR ABOUT 25 MILES...40 KM...SOUTH OF SANTA ROSA DE COPAN HONDURAS. THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 7 MPH ...11 KM/HR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST TONIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH... 55 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1001 MB...29.56 INCHES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 15 TO 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF HONDURAS...NICARAGUA AND EL SALVADOR...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS OVER PORTIONS OF BELIZE...GUATEMALA...AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...ESPECIALLY IN ASSOCIATION WITH HIGHER TERRAIN. REPEATING THE 9 AM CST POSITION...14.5 N... 88.7 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 7 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 35 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 3 PM CST. GUINEY STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT3 AND WMO HEADER WTNT73 KNHC. NNNN