Hurricane FRANCES
ZCZC MIATCPAT1 ALL TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM FRANCES INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 51A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 2 PM EDT MON SEP 06 2004 ...FRANCES MAKING LANDFALL NEAR ST. MARKS FLORIDA... A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SUWANEE RIVER TO INDIAN PASS BUT WILL LIKELY BE DONGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM WARNING LATER TODAY. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE SUWANEE RIVER TO ANNA MARIA ISLAND AND FROM INDIAN PASS TO DESTIN. RADAR AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT AT 2 PM EDT...1800Z... THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FRANCES WAS CROSSING THE COAST IN THE VICINITY OF LATITUDE 30.1 NORTH... LONGITUDE 84.1 WEST...NEAR ST. MARKS FLORIDA. FRANCES IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FRANCES SHOULD MOVE WELL INLAND DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. BECAUSE FRANCES IS MOVING INLAND THE CHANCES OF BECOMING A HURRICANE HAVE DIMINISHED. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 980 MB...28.94 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 2 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS EXPECTED SOUTH OF CEDAR KEY. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 10 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS EXPECTED ALONG THE NORTHEAST GULF COAST OF FLORIDA TO THE NORTH OF CEDAR KEY...ESPECIALLY TO THE EAST OF THE TRACK. IN ADDITION...LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF STRONG ONSHORE FLOW. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS... ARE EXPECTED OVER PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES... ESPECIALLY ALONG AND TO THE EAST OF THE PATH OF FRANCES. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER PORTIONS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL FLORIDA AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND PORTIONS OF ALABAMA AND GEORGIA. REPEATING THE 2 PM EDT POSITION...30.1 N... 84.1 W. MOVEMENT NORTH-NORTHWEST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...980 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 AVILA $$ NNNN