000 ABNT20 KNHC 192331 TWOAT TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 800 PM EDT SAT JUL 19 2008 FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO... THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS ISSUING ADVISORIES ON HURRICANE BERTHA...LOCATED ABOUT 490 MILES EAST-SOUTHEAST OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND...AND ON TROPICAL STORM CRISTOBAL...LOCATED ABOUT 130 MILES EAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. THE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATING THE STRONG TROPICAL WAVE IN THE WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA FOUND THAT THE SYSTEM STILL DOES NOT HAVE A CLOSED CIRCULATION. HOWEVER...THE WAVE CONTINUES TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS AND IS PRODUCING WINDS OF 40-45 MPH TO THE SOUTH OF JAMAICA. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME INCREASINGLY FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT...AND THIS SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION OR TROPICAL STORM WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO AS IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT 15 TO 20 MPH. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL AFFECT JAMAICA...PORTIONS OF CUBA...AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS TODAY AND TOMORROW. INTERESTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE YUCATAN PENINSULA SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM. A SMALL AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS LOCATED ABOUT 350 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA. THIS SYSTEM IS GENERATING A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...BUT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDICTIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME UNFAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. $$ FORECASTER FRANKLIN