ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 11A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 8 AM AST SAT AUG 22 1998 ...BONNIE A LITTLE STRONGER... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH COULD BE ISSUED FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS LATER TODAY. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA. BONNIE COULD THREATEN THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. RESIDENTS ALONG THE COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE HURRICANE. AT 8 AM AST...1200Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED BY A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE NEAR LATITUDE 22.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 70.0 WEST OR ABOUT 100 MILES...160 KM...NORTHEAST OF TURK ISLAND. BONNIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH...28 KM/HR. BONNIE IS EXPECTED TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF THE HURRICANE WILL BE PASSING A LITTLE NORTH OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS THIS MORNING. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES... 55 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM...MAINLY NORTH OF THE CENTER. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE JUST REPORTED BY A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 980 MB...28.93 INCHES. A STORM SURGE OF 3 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS COULD OCCUR IN THE WARNED AREA. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH BONNIE ARE BEGINNING TO SPREAD INTO THE WARNED AREA...PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. REPEATING THE 8 AM AST POSITION...22.4 N... 70.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 17 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 80 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 980 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM AST. AVILA NNNN