ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 26B NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 9 PM AST MON SEP 21 1998 ...DANGEROUS HURRICANE GEORGES BATTERING PURETO RICO... HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE U.S. AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH COAST OF HAITI FROM ST. NICOLAS TO THE BORDER OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...AND FOR EASTERN CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF LAS TUNAS EASTWARD TO GUANTANAMO. INTERESTS IN THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD MAINTAIN PRECAUTIONS UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. AT 9 PM AST...0100Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 66.4 WEST. THIS POSITION IS INLAND IN THE VICINITY OF COAMO...OR ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO. GEORGES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE...MOVING THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE ACROSS PUERTO RICO TONIGHT. REMEMBER...IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO FOCUS ON THE PRECISE FORECAST TRACK SINCE THE HURRICANE IS NOT A POINT AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS COVER A WIDE SWATH. THOSE EXPERIENCING THE CALM EYE OF THE HURRICANE SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION AND NOT VENTURE OUTDOORS AS WINDS WILL INCREASE RAPIDLY AGAIN. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GEORGES IS A CATEGORY THREE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 175 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. THERE WERE UNOFFICIAL REPORTS OF WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 175 MPH AT AN ELEVATION OF 750 FEET ON THE ISLAND OF SABA EARLIER TODAY ALONG WITH SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. SOME FURTHER FLUCTUATIONS IN WIND SPEED ARE POSSIBLE...BUT GEORGES IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A DANGEROUS HURRICANE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES FROM THE CENTER ...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES... MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 975 MB...28.79 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...LOCALLY 20 INCHES OR MORE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF GEORGES... ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE CENTER. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH GEORGES. REPEATING THE 9 PM AST POSITION...18.2 N... 66.4 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 975 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 PM AST. GUINEY NNNN