ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES ADVISORY NUMBER 37 NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 11 AM EDT THU SEP 24 1998 ..GEORGES POUNDING A LARGE PORTION OF EASTERN CUBA... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH FLORIDA... FROM DEERFIELD BEACH SOUTHWARD ON THE EAST COAST AND FROM BONITA BEACH SOUTHWARD ON THE WEST COAST...INCLUDING THE FLORIDA KEYS. THIS INCLUDES MONROE...MIAMI DADE...BROWARD AND COLLIER COUNTIES. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT JUST NORTH OF DEERFIELD BEACH...AT BOCA RATON...TO STUART ON THE FLORIDA EAST COAST AND FROM JUST NORTH OF BONITA BEACH NORTHWARD TO LONGBOAT KEY ON THE FLORIDA WEST COAST. THIS INCLUDES PALM BEACH...MARTIN...SARASOTA...CHARLOTTE AND LEE COUNTIES. A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF SANCTI SPIRITUS EASTWARD AND FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS. THE HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW EXTENDED TO THE NORTHWESTERN BAHAMAS. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES OF VILLA CLARA...CIENFUEGOS AND MATANZAS. AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS DISCONTINUED FOR CAYMAN BRAC...AND LITTLE CAYMAN. AT 11 AM EDT...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.5 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.5 WEST OR JUST TO THE EAST NORTHEAST OF CAMAGUEY CUBA OR ABOUT 340 MILES...545 KM...SOUTHEAST OF KEY WEST FLORIDA. GEORGES IS MOVING BETWEEN WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH ...19 KM/HR. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER WILL MOVE INTO THE FLORIDA STRAITS LATER TODAY. DO NOT FOCUS ON THE PRECISE LOCATION AND TRACK OF THE CENTER. THE HURRICANES DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND RAINS COVER A WIDE SWATH. THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH... 130 KM/HR...MAINLY TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS GEORGES MOVES OVER THE FLORIDA STRAITS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES... 55 KM...TO THE EAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 155 MILES...250 KM. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 989 MB...29.21 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES...LOCALLY 20 INCHES OR MORE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF GEORGES. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COAST IN THE WARNING AREA. REPEATING THE 11 AM EDT POSITION...21.5 N... 77.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...BETWEEN WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 80 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 989 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 2 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 PM EDT. AVILA STRIKE PROBABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ADVISORY NUMBER CAN BE FOUND UNDER AFOS HEADER MIASPFAT2 AND WMO HEADER WTNT72 KNHC. NNNN