ZCZC MIATCPAT1 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ALEX ADVISORY NUMBER 18 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 5 PM AST FRI JUL 31 1998 ...ALEX WEAKENING... AT 5 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALEX WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 51.1 WEST OR ABOUT 600 MILES ...965 KM...EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. ALEX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR. THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST ON SATURDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR ...WITH A FEW HIGHER GUSTS TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. A GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AND ALEX MAY BE DOWNGRADED TO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION TONIGHT OR SATURDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES...230 KM TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB...29.68 INCHES. REPEATING THE 5 PM AST POSITION...15.8 N... 51.1 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1005 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 PM AST. AVILA STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT1 AND WMO HEADER WTNT71 KNHC. NNNN