ZCZC MIATCPAT3 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM MITCH INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 53A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 1 PM EST THU NOV 05 1998 ...MITCH LOSING ITS TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM CRAIG KEY EASTWARD...AND FOR THE EAST COAST OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA FROM NEW SMYRNA BEACH TO FLAMINGO. THE WARNINGS ARE LIKELY TO BE DISCONTINUED LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SMALL CRAFT ALONG THE COAST OF THE FLORIDA KEYS AND PENINSULA SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. THE GOVERNMENT OF CUBA HAS DISCONTINUED ITS TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS. AT 1 PM EST...1800Z...THE POORLY-DEFINED CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM MITCH WAS ESTIMATED TO BE LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.9 NORTH... LONGITUDE 78.8 WEST...OR ABOUT 100 MILES...160 KM...NORTH OF GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND. MITCH IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 30 MPH...48 KM/HR... AND THIS DIRECTION OF MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH A FURTHER INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED ARE NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THE HURRICANE HUNTERS INDICATE THAT MITCH IS LOSING ITS TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS. IF THIS TREND CONTINUES...MITCH COULD BE DECLARED AN EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE LATER TODAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...320 KM...MAINLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 992 MB...29.29 INCHES. STORM TIDES ALONG THE FLORIDA WEST COAST ARE DECREASING AND WILL DECREASE ALONG THE FLORIDA EAST COAST AND KEYS LATER TODAY. REPEATING THE 1 PM EST POSITION...27.9 N... 78.8 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 30 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 992 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM EST. RAPPAPORT NNNN