ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 19A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 8 AM EDT MON AUG 24 1998 ...DANGEROUS HURRICANE BONNIE DRIFTING NORTHWESTWARD... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND A 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 AND INTERESTS ALONG THE COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS LARGE AND DANGEROUS HURRICANE. AT 8 AM EDT...1200Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.5 WEST OR ABOUT 165 MILES ...265 KM...NORTHEAST OF SAN SALVADOR ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS. BONNIE HAS BEEN DRIFTING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT 5 MPH...8 KM/HR ...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. IF THIS OCCURS...A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE NEEDED FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. COAST LATER TODAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SATELLITE IMAGES NO LONGER SHOW AN EYE...AND BONNIE MAY HAVE WEAKENED SLIGHTLY. A HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE WILL REPORT SHORTLY ON THE CURRENT STRENGTH OF THE HURRICANE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY MAY OCCUR BUT BONNIE IS FORECAST TO REMAIN A POWERFUL HURRICANE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. BONNIE IS A LARGE HURRICANE. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 963 MB...28.44 INCHES. A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS COULD OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNING AREA IN THE BAHAMAS. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH BONNIE WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS AND RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF THREE TO FIVE INCHES ARE LIKELY. REPEATING THE 8 AM EDT POSITION...25.5 N... 72.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 963 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM EDT. PASCH NNNN