ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM EARL INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 6A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 AM CDT WED SEP 02 1998 ...EARL MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF OF MEXICO COAST FROM PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI TO CAMERON LOUISIANA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT EAST OF PASCAGOULA MISSISSIPPI TO DESTIN FLORIDA. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT WEST OF CAMERON TO HIGH ISLAND TEXAS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE WARNING AREA SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. AT 1 AM CDT...0600Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EARL WAS ESTIMATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 90.5 WEST OR ABOUT 160 MILES SOUTH OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA. EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 10 MPH. A GENERAL MOTION TOWARD THE NORTHEAST OR NORTH IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY...BRINGING TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS TO THE NORTHERN GULF COAST LATER TODAY. EARL HAS NOT STRENGTHENED TO A HURRICANE AS PREVIOUSLY FORECAST ...BUT THE CENTER IS OVER WATER AND STRENGTHENING IS STILL POSSIBLE. AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTERS DATA AND DATA BUOYS INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE 60 MPH OR LESS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES MAINLY TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS NOW 996 MB...29.41 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY ALONG THE PATH OF EARL. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS ARE POSSIBLE NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES THE COAST. REPEATING THE 1 AM CDT POSITION...27.8 N... 90.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 60 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 9968 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 AM CDT. LAWRENCE NNNN