ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE BONNIE ADVISORY NUMBER 17 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT SUN AUG 23 1998 ...POWERFUL HURRICANE BONNIE BEGINS DRIFTING NORTHWESTWARD... 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 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BONNIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 24.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 71.8 WEST OR ABOUT 180 MILES...290 KM...EAST-NORTHEAST OF SAN SALVADOR ISLAND IN THE BAHAMAS. BONNIE IS MOVING SLOWLY TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH... 7 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO MONDAY. IF THIS NORTHWEST MOTION PERSISTS...AS FORECAST...A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST ON MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. BONNIE IS A LARGE HURRICANE WITH HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTENDING OUTWARD UP TO 200 MILES...325 KM...MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER. A NOAA RESEARCH AIRCRAFT JUST REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 955 MB...28.20 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. THREE TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN MAY OCCUR OVER PORTIONS OF THE BAHAMAS. LARGE SWELLS ARE PROPAGATING WELL AHEAD OF THE HURRICANE AND ARE IMPACTING PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEAST U.S. COAST. SEE STATEMENTS FROM LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICES. REPEATING THE 5 PM EDT POSITION...24.8 N... 71.8 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 955 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 PM EDT. PASCH STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT2 AND WMO HEADER WTNT72 KNHC. NNNN