ZCZC MIATCPAT2 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN HURRICANE GEORGES INTEREMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 29B NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL 9 AM AST TUE SEP 22 1998 ...DANGEROUS HURRICANE GEORGES STILL POUNDING PUERTO RICO AND HURRICANE CONDITIONS SPREADING OVER THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC... HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR PUERTO RICO...THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...HAITI...THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...AND THE SOUTHEAST BAHAMAS. HURRICANE WARNINGS FOR PUERTO RICO ARE LIKELY TO BE DISCONTINUED LATER THIS MORNING. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR EASTERN CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF LAS TUNAS EASTWARD TO GUANTANAMO. INTERESTS IN THE U.S. AND BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS SHOULD CONTINUE TO EXERCISE CAUTION UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. AT 9 AM AST...1300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GEORGES WAS LOCATED BY RADAR NEAR LATITUDE 18.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 68.7 WEST. THIS POSITION IS ABOUT 65 MILES...100 KM...EAST OF SANTO DOMINGO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. GEORGES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR. A WEST TO WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TODAY. THIS TRACK WILL BRING THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE ACROSS THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TODAY AND OVER HAITI TONIGHT AND EARLY WEDNESDAY. IT IS IMPORTANT NOT TO FOCUS ON THE PRECISE FORECAST TRACK SINCE THE HURRICANES DESTRUCTIVE WINDS AND RAINS COVER A WIDE SWATH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 110 MPH...175 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. EVEN HIGHER WINDS ARE POSSIBLE OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. GEORGES MAY WEAKEN AS IT MOVES OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM..MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 965 MB...28.49 INCHES. RAINFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES...LOCALLY 20 INCHES OR MORE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE LIKELY NEAR THE PATH OF GEORGES... ESPECIALLY AFTER THE PASSAGE OF THE CENTER. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 4 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE COASTS IN THE WARNING AREA. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN ASSOCIATION WITH GEORGES. REPEATING THE 9 AM AST POSITION...18.3 N... 68.7 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...110 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 965 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 AM AST. AVILA NNNN