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HURRICANE GORDON SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER  14
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
2 PM EDT SUN SEP 17 2000
 
...GORDON MOVING QUICKLY TOWARD THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST
OF FLORIDA...STORM SURGE...HEAVY RAINS AND TORNADOES ARE
MAJOR THREATS...
 
A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA
FROM ANNA MARIA ISLAND NORTHWARD TO OCHLOCKONEE RIVER.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
FROM BONITA BEACH NORTHWARD TO SOUTH OF ANNA MARIA ISLAND.  A
TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT IN THE
FLORIDA PANHANDLE WEST OF OCHLOCKONEE RIVER WESTWARD TO INDIAN PASS.
 
AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING ALONG THE FLORIDA
EAST COAST HAS BEEN EXTENDED FROM FLAGLER BEACH SOUTH TO TITUSVILLE.
 
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE U.S. SOUTHEAST
COAST FROM TITUSVILLE FLORIDA NORTHWARD TO LITTLE RIVER INLET SOUTH
CAROLINA.  A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM NORTH OF
LITTLE RIVER INLET SOUTH CAROLINA TO CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.
 
AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z...THE BROAD CENTER OF HURRICANE GORDON WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE  83.7 WEST
OR ABOUT 90 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF CEDAR KEY FLORIDA.
 
GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 14 MPH AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS WITH A
GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED.  THIS EXPECTED MOTION SHOULD
BRING THE BROAD CENTER OF GORDON NEAR CEDAR KEY FLORIDA SOMETIME
LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING.  HOWEVER...ALL INTERESTS IN
FLORIDA AND THE SOUTHEAST U.S. SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT CENTER
OF GORDON SINCE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS EXTEND WELL TO THE EAST AND
NORTH OF THE CENTER.
 
RECENT RECONNAISANCE AIRCRAFT REPORTED A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF
988 MB...29.18 INCHES.
  
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR  75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  LITTLE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST BEFORE LANDFALL...WITH SLOW WEAKENING
OVER NORTH FLORIDA AFTER LANDFALL TONIGHT AND MONDAY.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  60 MILES...MAINLY
NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER.  TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 175 MILES...MAINLY NORTHEAST THROUGH SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTER.
 
ALL PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION IN THE HURRICANE
WARNING AREA.
 
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7 TO 10 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE
HURRICANE WARNING AREA NEAR AND TO THE SOUTH OF WHERE THE CENTER
CROSSES THE COAST.  STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 3 FEET HAS ALREADY
BEEN REPORTED IN PINELLAS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA.
 
HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 7 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED HEAVIER
AMOUNTS... CAN BE EXPECTED MAINLY ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF THE
CENTER....ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN FLORIDA
PENINSULA.  MORE THAN 8 INCHES OF RAIN HAS BEEN REPORTED AT 
SEBRING FLORIDA.
 
THERE IS ALSO A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES OVER MUCH OF THE
FLORIDA PENINSULA.  SOME OF THESE TORNADOES MAY OCCUR IN RAINBANDS
WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER.
 
REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...28.1 N... 83.7 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 14 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS... 75 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 988 MB.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER 
AT 5 PM EDT.
 
FORECASTER STEWART
  
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