ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 45A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 PM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998 ...HURRICANE GEORGES HEADED TOWARD THE NORTHERN GULF COAST... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FROM MORGAN CITY LOUISIANA TO PANAMA CITY FLORIDA. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE WARNED AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF PANAMA CITY FLORIDA TO ST. MARKS FLORIDA. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF MORGAN CITY TO INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA. AT 1 PM CDT THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 26.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.9 WEST OR ABOUT 360 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA. GEORGES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS... WHICH COULD BRING HURRICANE FORCE WINDS TO THE COAST IN THE WARNED AREA BY LATE SUNDAY MORNING OR AFTERNOON. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH...165 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SLOW STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...MAINLY TO THE EAST. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 974 MB...28.76 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 8 TO 12 FEET...LOCALLY TO 15 FEET IN BAYS...ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS POSSIBLE IN THE WARNED AREA AND WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES. FLOODING RAINS ARE LIKELY IN ASSOCIATION WITH GEORGES AND WILL BECOME PARTICULARLY SEVERE IF GEORGES FORWARD MOTION DECREASES NEAR LANDFALL AS IS NOW FORECAST. SMALL CRAFT FROM INTRACOASTAL CITY TO HIGH ISLAND TEXAS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. SMALL CRAFT ALONG THE WEST COAST OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. REPEATING THE 1 PM CDT POSITION...26.3 N... 85.9 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 974 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM CDT. RAPPAPORT NNNN