ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM MITCH INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 37A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 7 PM EST FRI OCT 30 1998 ...HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOOD THREAT CONTINUES OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AMERICA... TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF HONDURAS...GUATEMALA...BELIZE...AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO FROM CABO CATOCHE SOUTHWARD...INCLUDING THE OFFSHORE ISLANDS. SMALL CRAFT IN THE WARNING AREAS SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT. AT 7 PM EST...0000Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM MITCH WAS ESTIMATED FROM SATELLITE PICTURES AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS IN HONDURAS TO BE LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.0 WEST. THIS POSITION IS OVER CENTRAL HONDURAS ABOUT 35 MILES...55 KM...NORTH-NORTHEAST OF TEGUCIGALPA. MITCH HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-SOUTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH... 9 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH......85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THE ISLAND OF ROATAN OFF THE COAST OF HONDURAS REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS NEAR 45 MPH ABOUT TWO HOURS AGO. SLOW WEAKENING IS FORECAST. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES ...325 KM...MAINLY OVER THE WATER TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1000 MB...29.53 INCHES. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 15 TO 25 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS OVER PORTIONS OF BELIZE...GUATEMALA...EL SALVADOR...AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...ESPECIALLY IN ASSOCIATION WITH HIGHER TERRAIN. REPEATING THE 7 PM EST POSITION...14.5 N... 87.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST SOUTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1000 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 PM EST. RAPPAPORT NNNN