ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM COR
BULLETIN
HURRICANE MITCH INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  20A
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1 PM EST MON OCT 26 1998
CORRECTION TO LOCATION LATITUDE
 
...POWERFUL MITCH STRENGTHENS TO 170 MPH...
   CATEGORY FIVE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE...

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HONDURAS FROM LIMON
EASTWARD TO THE NICARAGUA BORDER...AND FOR SWAN ISLAND.  A HURRICANE
WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FOR THE NORTH COAST OF HONDURAS WEST OF LIMON
LATER TODAY.  A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAIN
IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.  ALL INTERESTS IN BELIZE...THE
YUCATAN PENINSULA AND CUBA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF
THIS DANGEROUS HURRICANE.
 
AT 1 PM EST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE MITCH WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 17.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE  83.2 WEST OR ABOUT 55 MILES
...90 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SWAN ISLAND.  THIS POSITION IS ALSO
ABOUT 115 MILES...185 KM...NORTH OF THE COAST OF EASTERN HONDURAS.
 
MITCH IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR  8 MPH...13 KM/HR. 
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS 
WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED.

REPORTS FROM A U.S. AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT
INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 170
MPH...273 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  MITCH IS NOW A CATEGORY FIVE
HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN
STRENGTH ARE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TUESDAY...BUT MITCH IS EXPETED TO
REMAIN A VERY DANGEROUS HURRICANE CAPABLE OF CAUSING CATASTROPHIC
DAMAGE.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  70 MILES...110 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 145 MILES...230 KM.  THE EYE OF THE HURRICANE IS EXPECTED TO PASS
NEAR SWAN ISLAND TONIGHT.
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS  906 MB...26.75 INCHES.
  
OUTER RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HURRICANE ARE AFFECTING THE
CAYMAN ISLANDS AND HONDURAS AND NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA.  RAINFALL
AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES...WITH GREATER AMOUNTS OVER HIGHER
TERRAIN...ARE POSSIBLE.  THIS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH
FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.
 
COASTAL FLOODING FROM ONSHORE WINDS AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES
IS OCCURRING OVER PORTIONS OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...SWAN ISLAND AND
THE COAST OF HONDURAS.
 
ALL INTERESTS IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF THIS VERY DANGEROUS HURRICANE.
  
REPEATING THE 1 PM EST POSITION...17.0 N... 83.2 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR  8 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...170
MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 906 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
4 PM EST.
 
LAWRENCE
 
NNNN