ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 33A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 2 PM EDT WED SEP 23 1998 ...GEORGES DRIFTING WESTWARD ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF EASTERN CUBA... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HAITI...FOR CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF SANCTI SPIRITUS EASTWARD...FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND FOR THE TURK AND CAICOS ISLANDS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS AND FOR CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES OF VILLA CLARA...CIENFUEGOS AND MATANZAS. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH FLORIDA...FROM DEERFIELD BEACH SOUTHWARD ON THE EAST COAST...AND FROM BONITA BEACH SOUTHWARD ON THE WEST COAST...INCLUDING THE FLORIDA KEYS. THIS INCLUDES MONROE...MIAMI DADE...BROWARD AND COLLIER COUNTIES. AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE BROAD AND ILL DEFINED CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS ESTIMATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 74.7 WEST OR ABOUT 50 MILES...80 KM...SOUTHEAST OF GUANTANAMO BAY CUBA. GEORGES HAS BEEN DRIFTING WESTWARD ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF EASTERN CUBA WHILE THE CENTER IS REFORMING. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST NORTHWEST AT ABOUT 15 MPH...24 KM/HR IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS TRACK WILL BRING THE HURRICANE ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN CUBA AND NEAR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS TODAY. DO NOT FOCUS ON THE PRECISE LOCATION AND TRACK OF THE CENTER. THE HURRICANES DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND RAINS COVER A WIDE SWATH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH...120 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE AS THE HURRICANE MOVES AWAY FROM THE HIGH MOUNTAINS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A NOAA RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 995 MB...29.38 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...LOCALLY 20 INCHES OR MORE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF GEORGES. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST IN THE WARNING AREA. REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...19.5 N... 74.7 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 75 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 995 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 5 PM EDT. AVILA STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT2 AND WMO HEADER WTNT72 KNHC. NNNN