000 WTPZ33 KNHC 311136 TCPEP3 BULLETIN HURRICANE JIMENA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 11A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP132009 500 AM PDT MON AUG 31 2009 ...POWERFUL HURRICANE JIMENA CONTINUES NORTHWESTWARD... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA FROM BAHIA MAGDALENA SOUTHWARD ON THE WEST COAST...AND FROM SAN EVARISTO SOUTHWARD ON THE EAST COAST... INCLUDING CABO SAN LUCAS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A HURRICANE WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THIS AREA LATER TODAY. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND IN WESTERN MAINLAND MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF JIMENA. ADDITIONAL WATCHES MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THESE AREAS LATER THIS MORNING. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. AT 500 AM PDT...1200 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 108.1 WEST OR ABOUT 370 MILES...595 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CABO SAN LUCAS MEXICO. JIMENA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH...13 KM/HR. A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED AND A TURN TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...JIMENA WILL BE APPROACHING THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA ON TUESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 145 MPH...230 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. JIMENA IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE JIMENA LATER TODAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 80 MILES...130 KM. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 940 MB...27.76 INCHES. ...SUMMARY OF 500 AM PDT INFORMATION... LOCATION...17.8N 108.1W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...145 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTHWEST OR 310 DEGREES AT 8 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...940 MB THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 800 AM PDT. $$ FORECASTER PASCH