ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 39A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 AM EDT FRI SEP 25 1998 ...WEATHER CONDITIONS WORSENING OVER SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE KEYS...PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE NEARING COMPLETION... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM DEERFIELD BEACH SOUTHWARD INCLUDING THE FLORIDA KEYS AND FOR THE FLORIDA WEST COAST FROM LONGBOAT KEY SOUTHWARD. AT 1 AM EDT...0500Z...THE HURRICANE WATCH IS DISCONTINUED FROM NORTH OF DEERFIELD BEACH NORTHWARD. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA EAST COAST FROM JUST NORTH OF DEERFIELD BEACH...AT BOCA RATON...TO STUART. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA WEST COAST NORTH OF LONGBOAT KEY TO BAYPORT. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF SANCTI SPIRITUS EASTWARD AND FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES OF VILLA CLARA...CIENFUEGOS AND MATANZAS. ALL INTERESTS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM LOUISIANA EASTWARD SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HURRICANE. AT 1 AM EDT...0500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 23.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.0 WEST OR ABOUT 135 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA. GEORGES IS MOVING BETWEEN WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... BRINGING THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE NEAR THE FLORIDA KEYS THIS MORNING. DO NOT FOCUS ON THE PRECISE LOCATION AND TRACK OF THE CENTER. THE HURRICANES DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND RAIN COVER A WIDE SWATH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS. CONDITIONS FAVOR A CONTINUED INCREASE IN STRENGTH DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES... 75 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH GEORGES ARE SPREADING ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA AND THE KEYS. SQUALLS WILL BE INCREASING IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY TODAY. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 985 MB...29.09 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 8 TO 12 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 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST IN THE WARNING AREA. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA KEYS AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH FLORIDA DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. REPEATING THE 1 AM EDT POSITION...23.4 N... 80.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 90 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 985 MB. THE NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 3 AM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 AM EDT...FRIDAY. AVILA NNNN