ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 34B NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 9 AM EDT THU AUG 27 1998 ...HURRICANE BONNIE WINDS DECREASING BUT HEAVY RAIN TO CONTINUE OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM LITTLE RIVER INLET NEAR THE NORTH CAROLINA/SOUTH CAROLINA BORDER TO THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER...INCLUDING PAMLICO SOUND AND ALBEMARLE SOUND. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT SOUTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET TO MURRELLS INLET SOUTH CAROLINA. A HURRICANE WATCH AND TROPICAL STORM WARNING ARE IN EFFECT FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA/VIRGINIA BORDER TO CHINCOTEAGUE VIRGINIA AND IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT SOUTHWARD. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM CHINCOTEAGUE VIRGINIA TO CAPE HENLOPEN DELAWARE. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM CAPE HENLOPEN DELAWARE TO SANDY HOOK NEW JERSEY INCLUDING DELAWARE BAY...THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT TO SMITH POINT...AND THE POTOMAC RIVER FROM COBB ISLAND TO SMITH POINT. THE HURRICANE WATCH AND WARNING COULD BE DISCONTINUED LATER THIS MORNING OR AFTERNOON IF BONNIE CONTINUES TO WEAKEN. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA. INTERESTS IN THE WATCH AND WARNING AREAS SHOULD FOLLOW RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THEIR LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS. AT 9 AM EDT...1300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 35.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.0 WEST OR NEAR NEW BERN NORTH CAROLINA. BONNIE IS MOVING NORTHEAST NEAR 6 MPH. THIS NORTHEAST MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. ON THIS TRACK...BONNIE WILL BE PERSISTING OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA THROUGH TONIGHT...CREATING A SERIOUS FLOOD THREAT. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR DATA INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 75 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BONNIE COULD BE DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL STORM LATER THIS MORNING OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. FURTHER WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE CIRCULATION INTERACTS WITH LAND. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES MAINLY OVER WATER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 975 MB...28.79 INCHES. DUE TO THE LARGE SIZE OF BONNIE AND ITS SLOW MOTION...PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA CAN EXPECT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DAMAGING WINDS...WAVES...HIGH STORM SURGE...AND HEAVY RAINS. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 6 TO 9 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDES...ALONG WITH THE LARGE BATTERING WAVES...ARE LIKELY NEAR AND TO EAST OF THE HURRICANE. INLAND HIGH WIND WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. SEE STATEMENTS BY LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 8 TO 16 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS... ARE POSSIBLE NEAR THE PATH OF BONNIE...POSING A VERY SERIOUS FLOOD THREAT. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA. REPEATING THE 9 AM EDT POSITION...35.1 N... 77.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 6 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 975 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM EDT. RAPPAPORT NNNN