Hurricane FRANCES

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HURRICANE FRANCES ADVISORY NUMBER  18
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 AM AST SUN AUG 29 2004

...FRANCES ON TRACK...HEADING WEST-NORTHWEST...
 
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN
LEEWARD ISLANDS LATER TODAY.
 
INTERESTS IN THE NORTHERN LESSER ANTILLES AND THE NORTHEASTERN
CARIBBEAN SEA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF FRANCES OVER
THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
 
AT 5 AM AST...0900Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FRANCES WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 18.6 NORTH... LONGITUDE  54.1 WEST OR ABOUT  590
MILES... 950 KM... EAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.
 
FRANCES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR...
AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS..
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 135 MPH...215 KM/HR...WITH
HIGHER GUSTS.  SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE
NEXT 24 HOURS AND FRANCES COULD REACH NEAR CATEGORY FIVE INTENSITY
LATER TODAY.  AN AIRFORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER WILL BE
INVESTIGATING THE SYSTEM LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
 
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO  35 MILES... 55 KM...
FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP
TO 115 MILES...185 KM.
 
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS  948 MB...27.99 INCHES.
 
REPEATING THE 5 AM AST POSITION...18.6 N... 54.1 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR  9 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED
WINDS...135 MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 948 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 11 AM AST.
 
FORECASTER JARVINEN
 
 
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