Tropical Storm CLAUDETTE

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BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER   3
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL042009
200 PM EDT SUN AUG 16 2009
 
...AIRCRAFT RECONNAISSANCE FINDS CLAUDETTE STRONGER...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA
BORDER EASTWARD TO THE SUWANNEE RIVER FLORIDA.  A TROPICAL STORM
WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE.  FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA
OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
 
AT 200 PM EDT...1800 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM CLAUDETTE
WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 29.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.1 WEST OR ABOUT
40 MILES... 65 KM...SOUTH OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA AND ABOUT 160
MILES...255 KM...SOUTHEAST OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA.
 
CLAUDETTE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/HR.
THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY...AND ON THIS FORECAST
TRACK...THE CENTER WILL BE NEAR THE NORTHERN GULF COAST OF FLORIDA 
THIS EVENING. 
 
DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE
THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH...85
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS
POSSIBLE PRIOR TO LANDFALL. 
 
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM
FROM THE CENTER.
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE BASED ON AIRCRAFT DATA IS
1008 MB...29.77 INCHES.
 
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM
AMOUNTS OF 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...THE
BIG BEND REGION OF FLORIDA...SOUTHERN ALABAMA...AND SOUTHWESTERN
GEORGIA NEAR THE PATH OF THE CENTER.
 
STORM TIDE IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MAXIMUM WATER LEVELS OF 3 TO 5
FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL ALONG PORTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...
INCLUDING THE BIG BEND. 
 
...SUMMARY OF 200 PM EDT INFORMATION...
LOCATION...29.1N 85.1W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTHWEST OR 325 DEGREES AT 14 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1008 MB
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE
CENTER AT 500 PM EDT.
 
$$
FORECASTER BRENNAN/ROBERTS
 
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