ZCZC MIATCPAT1 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM FRANCES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 10A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 AM CDT FRI SEP 11 1998 ...FRANCES DRENCHING THE TEXAS COAST...FLOOD THREAT SPREADING INLAND... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO COAST FROM TAMPICO MEXICO NORTH AND EAST TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER IN MISSISSIPPI...INCLUDING LAKES PONTCHARTRAIN AND MAUREPAS. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT FROM THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER MISSISSIPPI TO PENSACOLA FLORIDA. AT 1 AM CDT...0600Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FRANCES WAS ESTIMATED FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR TO BE LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 96.6 WEST OR JUST OFFSHORE ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF PORT ARANSAS TEXAS. ON AVERAGE OVER THE PAST 6 TO 12 HOURS...THE CENTER OF FRANCES HAS MOVED TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT 5 TO 10 MPH. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY. ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF FRANCES WILL BE MOVING INLAND OVER TEXAS THIS MORNING...BUT FLOODING RAINS AND TIDES ARE LIKELY TO PERSIST. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN INTENSITY IS EXPECTED BEFORE THE CENTER REACHES THE COAST. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 345 MILES...555 KM...MAINLY OVER THE WATER AND COAST TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER. STRONG SQUALLS ARE CONTINUING TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE MID TO UPPER TEXAS COAST AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR HURRICANE FORCE COULD OCCUR. LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED FROM RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 990 MB...29.23 INCHES. TIDES OF 4 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE TEXAS AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA COASTS...AND 2 TO 4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ALONG THE SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA COAST ARE LIKELY...ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES. FLOODING OF COMMUNITIES AND HIGHWAYS HAS BEEN REPORTED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS IN THE WARNED AREA. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF TEXAS...EXTREME NORTHEASTERN MEXICO AND SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA...WITH 2 TO 4 INCHES OVER SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOES ALONG THE COASTS OF TEXAS AND LOUISIANA. REPEATING THE 1 AM CDT POSITION...28.2 N... 96.6 W. MOVEMENT... NORTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 990 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 AM CDT. RAPPAPORT NNNN