000 WTPZ33 KNHC 012344 TCPEP3 BULLETIN HURRICANE JIMENA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 17A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP132009 500 PM PDT TUE SEP 01 2009 ...DANGEROUS HURRICANE JIMENA APPROACHING SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA...WEATHER CONDITIONS SHOULD WORSEN SOON... A HURRICANE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA FROM PUNTA ABREOJOS SOUTHWARD ON THE WEST COAST...AND FROM MULEGE SOUTHWARD ON THE EAST COAST... INCLUDING CABO SAN LUCAS. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA NORTH OF PUNTA ABREOJOS ON THE WEST COAST TO PUNTA EUGENIA...AND NORTH OF MULEGE ON THE EAST COAST TO BAHIA SAN JUAN BAUTISTA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WEST COAST OF MAINLAND MEXICO FROM ALTATA TO BAHIA KINO. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND IN NORTHWESTERN MAINLAND MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF JIMENA. ADDITIONAL WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA TONIGHT. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. AT 500 PM PDT...0000 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 111.2 WEST OR ABOUT 85 MILES...135 KM...WEST-SOUTHWEST OF CABO SAN LUCAS MEXICO AND ABOUT 165 MILES...265 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CABO SAN LAZARO MEXICO. JIMENA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH... 19 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...JIMENA WILL BE NEAR OR OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY...AND BE NEAR OR OVER THE CENTRAL BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 120 MPH...195 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. JIMENA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. A GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. HOWEVER...JIMENA COULD STILL BE NEAR MAJOR HURRICANE STRENGTH WHEN IT MAKES LANDFALL. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES...220 KM. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 951 MB...28.08 INCHES. JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS... WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES. A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA. ...SUMMARY OF 500 PM PDT INFORMATION... LOCATION...22.6N 111.2W MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTH-NORTHWEST OR 330 DEGREES AT 12 MPH MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...951 MB THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 800 PM PDT. $$ FORECASTER KIMBERLAIN/AVILA