ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM COR BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 8A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 2 PM AST FRI AUG 21 1998 ...BONNIE BEGINS TO THREATEN THE BAHAMAS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. BONNIE COULD THREATEN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES COAST...AS A HURRICANE...WITHIN THE NEXT THREE DAYS. RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR ITS PROGRESS. AT 2 PM AST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BONNIE WAS LOCATED BY RECONNAISSANCE PLANE NEAR LATITUDE 20.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 66.0 WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES...195 KM...NORTH OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO. BONNIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH ...28 KM/HR ...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH SOME DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. BONNIE IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE TODAY OR TOMORROW. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES...230 KM MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 999 MB...29.50 INCHES. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH BONNIE CONTINUE SPREADING ACROSS THE LEEWARD ISLANDS...THE BRITISH AND U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. FOR LOCAL WEATHER AND SEAS IN THE AREA..CONSULT STATEMENTS BY THE SAN JUAN WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE. REPEATING THE 2 PM AST POSITION...20.3 N... 66.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD... WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 999 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 PM AST. AVILA NNNN