ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM EARL ADVISORY NUMBER 1 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 4 PM CDT MON AUG 31 1998 ...NEW TROPICAL STORM DEVELOPS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO...THE FIFTH OF THE SEASON... A HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO COAST LATER TONIGHT. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT THE AREA OF DISTURBED WEATHER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BECOME A TROPICAL STORM. AT 4 PM CDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 93.9 WEST OR ABOUT 560 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA. EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 5 MPH AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST WITH SOME INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH... 65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME INCREASE IN STRENGTH IS LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES FROM THE CENTER. THE AIR FORCE PLANE RECENTLY REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1002 MB...29.58 INCHES. ALL INTERESTS AROUND THE GULF OF MEXICO SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS DEVELOPING TROPICAL STORM. REPEATING THE 4 PM CDT POSITION...22.5 N... 93.9 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 40 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1002 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 10 PM CDT. PASCH STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT5 AND WMO HEADER WTNT75 KNHC. NNNN