ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 25A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 3 PM AST MON SEP 21 1998 ...GEORGES NEARING PUERTO RICO... ...ALL PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE COMPLETED... HURRICANE WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE U.S. AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTH COAST OF HAITI FROM ST NICOLAS TO THE BORDER OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. A HURRICANE WATCH WAS ALSO ISSUED FOR EASTERN CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF LAS TUNAS EASTWARD TO GUANTANAMO. INTERESTS IN THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS SHOULD MAINTAIN PRECAUTIONS UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. AT 3 PM AST...1900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 65.2 WEST. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF VIEQUES AND ABOUT 65 MILES EAST- SOUTHEAST OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO. GEORGES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE...BRINGING THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE VERY NEAR OR OVER PUERTO RICO LATER TODAY. REMEMBER...IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO FOCUS ON THE PRECISE FORECAST TRACK SINCE THE HURRICANE IS NOT A POINT AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS COVER A WIDE SWATH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 150 MPH ARE POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. SOME FURTHER FLUCTUATIONS IN WIND SPEED ARE POSSIBLE...BUT GEORGES IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN A DANGEROUS HURRICANE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THERE WAS AN UNOFFICIAL MEASUREMENT OF WIND GUSTS TO 90 MPH AT ST. CROIX AFTER THE EYE PASSED. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT RECENTLY REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 972 MB...28.70 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...LOCALLY 20 INCHES OR MORE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF GEORGES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE HURRICANE INTERACTS WITH THE ISLANDS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH GEORGES. REPEATING THE 3 PM AST POSITION...17.9 N... 65.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 972 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT AT 5 PM AST. PASCH NNNN