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BULLETIN
HURRICANE BONNIE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER  16A
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
2 PM EDT SUN AUG 23 1998

...POWERFUL HURRICANE BONNIE INCHES NORTHWARD...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS AND A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN
BAHAMAS.  A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWESTERN
BAHAMAS.
 
PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.
 
BONNIE COULD THREATEN THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE
NEXT FEW DAYS.  RESIDENTS ALONG THE COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THE PROGRESS OF THIS LARGE AND DANGEROUS HURRICANE.
 
AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 24.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE  71.6 WEST OR ABOUT 190
MILES...305 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF SAN SALVADOR ISLAND IN THE
BAHAMAS.
 
BONNIE HAS DRIFTED NORTHWARD OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS.  HOWEVER THIS
IS PROBABLY ONLY TEMPORARY AND A SLOW NORTHWESTWARD MOVEMENT IS
EXPECTED TO RESUME LATER TODAY.  ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF THE
HURRICANE WILL PASS TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF THE SOUTHEASTERN
AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS TODAY.
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.  BONNIE IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON
HURRICANE SCALE.  SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
 
BONNIE IS A LARGE HURRICANE WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING
OUTWARD UP TO 75 MILES...120 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...320 KM...
MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 957 MB...28.26 INCHES.
 
A STORM SURGE OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS COULD OCCUR
IN THE WARNED AREA.
 
RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH BONNIE ARE SPREADING OVER PORTIONS OF
THE WARNED AREA...PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY SHOWERS AND STRONG GUSTY
WINDS.  FIVE TO TEN INCHES OF RAIN MAY OCCUR ALONG THE PATH OF THE
HURRICANE.
 
REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...24.6 N... 71.6 W.  MOVEMENT...
NEARLY STATIONARY.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH.  MINIMUM
CENTRAL PRESSURE... 957 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
5 PM EDT.
 
PASCH
 
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