ZCZC MIATCPAT1 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM FRANCES ADVISORY NUMBER 8 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 10 AM CDT THU SEP 10 1998 ...STORM SURGE FLOODING OCCURRING ON TEXAS COAST.... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO COAST FROM HIGH ISLAND TEXAS TO TAMPICO MEXICO. SMALL CRAFT SHOULD REMAIN IN PORT FROM HIGH ISLAND TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THE POORLY-DEFINED CENTER OF FRANCES HAS AGAIN REFORMED A LITTLE FARTHER TO THE NORTH AND AT 10 AM CDT...1500Z...WAS ESTIMATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 95.5 WEST OR ABOUT 120 MILES...195 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF BROWNSVILLE TEXAS. RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT REPORTS ALONG WITH SURFACE AND RADAR OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE CENTER CONTINUES TO SHIFT AROUND...BUT A SLOW WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY...BRINGING THE CENTER CLOSER TO THE COAST OF SOUTHERN TEXAS. MEANWHILE...BANDS OF HEAVY SHOWERS AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO WRAP AROUND THE CENTER...AFFECTING COASTAL AND OFFSHORE AREAS OF THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH... 75 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS LIKELY DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 290 MILES...465 KM MAINLY IN HEAVY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 996 MB...29.41 INCHES. TIDES OF 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ASTRONOMICAL TIDES...ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE WAVES...WILL CONTINUE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE WARNED AREA. FLOODING OF HIGHWAYS AND SOME COMMUNITIES IS BEING REPORTED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ALONG THE COAST OF TEXAS. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL TOTALS OF 6 TO 8 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER COASTAL SECTIONS OF TEXAS AND NORTHEASTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO ALONG THE COAST OF SOUTH TEXAS TODAY. REPEATING THE 10 AM CDT POSITION...25.5 N... 95.5 W. MOVEMENT NEARLY STATIONARY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 45 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 996 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1 PM CDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 4 PM CDT. PASCH STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT1 AND WMO HEADER WTNT71 KNHC. NNNN