Hurricane PALOMA

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BULLETIN
HURRICANE PALOMA ADVISORY NUMBER   8
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL172008
1000 AM EST FRI NOV 07 2008

...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS APPROACHING GRAND CAYMAN...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
 
A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF
SANCTI SPIRITUS...CIEGO DE AVILA...CAMAGUEY...LAS TUNAS...AND
GRANMA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.
 
INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CUBA...JAMAICA AND THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF PALOMA.  ADDITIONAL WATCHES AND
WARNINGS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR PORTIONS OF CUBA LATER TODAY.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 1000 AM EST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE PALOMA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 18.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.6 WEST OR ABOUT 75 MILES...
120 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GRAND CAYMAN AND ABOUT 245 MILES...390
KM...WEST OF MONTEGO BAY JAMAICA.
 
PALOMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR. A GRADUAL
TURN TOWARD THE NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND SATURDAY.  ON THE
FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF PALOMA WILL PASS NEAR THE CAYMAN
ISLANDS LATE TODAY OR EARLY SATURDAY AND BE APPROACHING THE COAST OF
CENTRAL CUBA LATE SATURDAY.  
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 85 MPH...140
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  PALOMA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY AND PALOMA IS
EXPECTED TO BECOME A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE LATER TODAY...AND
POSSIBLY REACH CATEGORY THREE INTENSITY BY SATURDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES...30 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70
MILES...110 KM.
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 979 MB...28.91 INCHES.
 
STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS EXPECTED
NEAR THE CENTER OF PALOMA IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
 
PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO
10 INCHES OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA WITH
ISOLATED MAXIMUM TOTALS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE. FLASH FLOOD AND
MUDSLIDES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN HIGHER TERRAIN.  
 
REPEATING THE 1000 AM EST POSITION...18.3 N...81.6 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...85 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...979 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 100 PM EST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 400
PM EST.
 
$$
FORECASTER BLAKE

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