Tropical Storm ODETTE
ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ODETTE INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 9A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1 PM EST SAT DEC 06 2003 ...ODETTE HESITATES...BUT EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER HISPANIOLA ACCOMPANIED BY TORRENTIAL RAINS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM ISLA SAONA WESTWARD AND FOR HAITI. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AT 1 PM EST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ODETTE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.0 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES...65 KM...SOUTHWEST OF THE ISLA BEATA ON THE SOUTH COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. FIXES FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT ODETTE HAS NOT MOVED VERY MUCH DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. HOWEVER...THE CYCLONE SHOULD BEGIN TO MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR...SOON WITH A GRADUAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF ODETTE IS EXPECTED TO MAKE LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST OF HISPANIOLA BY LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRONGER WINDS...ESPECIALLY IN GUSTS...ARE LIKELY OVER ELEVATED TERRAIN. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY BEFORE LANDFALL. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 145 MILES...230 KM FROM THE CENTER. LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE PLANE WAS 994 MB...29.35 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 PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA AND PUERTO RICO. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2-4 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL. REPEATING THE 1 PM EST POSITION...17.2 N... 72.0W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 994 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 4 PM EST. FORECASTER AVILA NNNN