Hurricane PALOMA

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HURRICANE PALOMA SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER  12
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL172008
530 AM EST SAT NOV 08 2008

...PALOMA BECOMES EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE NEAR
LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.
PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION.
 
A HURRICANE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF
SANCTI SPIRITUS... CIEGO DE AVILA...CAMAGUEY AND LAS TUNAS. 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 TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE
CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS
ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES
OF HOLGUIN AND SANTIAGO DE CUBA.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...
INCLUDING CAT ISLAND...THE EXUMAS...LONG ISLAND...RUM CAY...AND SAN
SALVADOR.  A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM
CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36
HOURS.
 
INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CUBA...JAMAICA...AND THE BAHAMAS SHOULD
CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF PALOMA. 
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
AT 530 AM EST...1030Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE PALOMA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 19.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 79.8 WEST OR NEAR CAYMAN BRAC. 
THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 95 MILES...150 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF
GRAND CAYMAN AND ABOUT 175 MILES...280 KM...SOUTHWEST OF CAMAGUEY
CUBA.
 
PALOMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR...AND
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH SUNDAY.  ON THE
FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PASS OVER OR
NEAR LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS...AND
BE APPROACHING THE COAST OF CENTRAL CUBA LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY
SUNDAY.
 
REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE
THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH...215 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS.  PALOMA IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME ADDITIONAL
STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING...WITH WEAKENING EXPECTED
LATER TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115
MILES...185 KM.
 
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE JUST REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER
IS 945 MB...27.91 INCHES.
 
STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...
ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS EXPECTED
NEAR THE CENTER OF PALOMA IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.  STORM SURGE
FLOODING OF 15 TO 20 FEET IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE
THE CENTER OF PALOMA MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA.
 
PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO
10 INCHES OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AS WELL AS CENTRAL AND EASTERN
CUBA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM TOTALS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE.  THESE
RAINS MAY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES. 
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS
JAMAICA.
 
REPEATING THE 530 AM EST POSITION...19.6 N...79.8 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 7 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...945 MB.
 
AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 700 AM EST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT
1000 AM EST.
 
$$
FORECASTER BEVEN
 
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