ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 12A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 2 PM EDT SAT AUG 22 1998 ...BONNIE HESITATES... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...AND THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS. 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. FIXES FROM THE AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT AT 2 PM EDT ...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.0 NORTH... LONGITUDE 70.5 WEST OR ABOUT 115 MILES ...185 KM...NORTH NORTHEAST OF TURK ISLAND. THIS POSITION IS ADJUSTED A LITTLE BIT TO THE NORTHEAST FROM THE PREVIOUS LOCATION. BONNIE HAS BEEN MOVING LITTLE DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS BUT IS EXPECTED TO RESUME A WEST-NORTHWEST TRACK AT 10 TO 15 MPH DURING MOST OF SUNDAY. THEREAFTER A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF BONNIE WILL BE PASSING A LITTLE TO THE NORTH OF THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 85 MPH...140 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND BONNIE COULD EVENTUALLY REACH CATEGORY THREE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. BONNIE IS A LARGE HURRICANE WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES... 75 KM... FROM THE CENTER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM...TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER AND ABOUT 100 MILES...160 KM...TO THE SOUTH OF THE CENTER. LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE RECENTLY REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 977 MB...28.85 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. FIVE TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN MAY OCCUR ALONG THE PATH OF THE HURRICANE. REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...23.0 N... 70.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 10 TO 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 85 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 977 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 PM EDT. AVILA NNNN