ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 18A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 2 AM EDT MON AUG 24 1998 ...POWERFUL HURRICANE BONNIE DRIFTING ERRATICALLY... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS. BONNIE COULD THREATEN THE SOUTHEAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS. RESIDENTS ALONG THE COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS LARGE AND DANGEROUS HURRICANE. AT 2 AM EDT...0600Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.1 WEST OR ABOUT 165 MILES ...265 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF SAN SALVADOR ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS. BONNIE IS DRIFTING SOMEWHAT ERRATICALLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH...8 KM/HR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. IF THE INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED OCCURS...A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST LATER TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME FLUCTUATION IN INTENSITY IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS...BUT BONNIE IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. BONNIE IS A LARGE HURRICANE WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM... MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 958 MB...28.29 INCHES. A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS COULD OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNED AREA IN THE BAHAMAS. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH BONNIE ARE SPREADING OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNED AREA...PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. THREE TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN MAY OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS. LARGE SWELLS ARE PROPAGATING WELL AHEAD OF THE HURRICANE AND ARE IMPACTING PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST. SEE STATEMENTS FROM LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES. REPEATING THE 2 AM EDT POSITION...25.O N... 72.1 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 958 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 AM EDT. LAWRENCE NNNN