Tropical Storm ODETTE
ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ODETTE ADVISORY NUMBER 5 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 10 AM EST FRI DEC 05 2003 ...AIR FORCE PLANE FINDS A 50 MPH TROPICAL STORM... AT 10 AM EST...1500Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS EXTENDED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING EASTWARD TO ISLA SAONA. TROPICAL STORM WARNINGS ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM ISLA SAONA WESTWARD. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HAITI AND JAMAICA. THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR JAMAICA MAY BE DISCONTINUED LATER TODAY. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AT 10 AM EST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ODETTE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 14.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 74.2 WEST OR ABOUT 290 MILES...470 KM...SOUTHWEST OF ISLA BEATA ON THE SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. ODETTE IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 5 MPH...7 KM/HR. A TURN MORE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. THIS MOTION COULD BRING THE CENTER OF ODETTE NEAR THE SOUTHERN COAST OF HAITI OR WESTERN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ON SATURDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE THE CENTER REACHES THE HIGH TERRAIN OF HISPANIOLA. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES ...280 KM FROM THE CENTER. THE STRONG WINDS OCCURRING OVER THE BAHAMAS ARE DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC STATES AND ODETTE. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WAS 993 MB...29.32 INCHES. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 8 TO 12 INCHES...WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE MOUNTAINS...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR THE PATH OF ODETTE. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES... PARTICULARLY IN THE MOUNTAINS OF HAITI. RAINBANDS ASSOCIATED WITH ODETTE ARE ALREADY SPREADING ACROSS HISPANIOLA. REPEATING THE 10 AM EST POSITION...14.2 N... 74.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 5 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 993 MB. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1 PM EST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 4 PM EST. FORECASTER AVILA NNNN