000 WONT41 KNHC 101549 DSAAT SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 1100 AM EST MON DEC 10 2007 SATELLITE IMAGES AND SURFACE REPORTS INDICATE THAT A CLOSED SURFACE CIRCULATION HAS DEVELOPED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE NOW CENTERED ABOUT 200 MILES EAST OF PUERTO RICO. SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH THE LOW REMAINS DISORGANIZED...HOWEVER...WITH THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED A COUPLE HUNDRED MILES NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. WHILE A TROPICAL OR SUBTROPICAL CYCLONE COULD STILL FORM DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME GRADUALLY LESS FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPMENT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE LOW DEVELOPS FURTHER...IT COULD PRODUCE HEAVY SQUALLS AND GUSTY WINDS OF NEAR GALE FORCE ACROSS THE VIRGIN ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT AS IT MOVES WESTWARD OR WEST-SOUTHWESTWARD AT ABOUT 20 MPH. HEAVY RAINS OVER PUERTO RICO AND HISPANIOLA COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...AND INTERESTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM. FURTHER SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENTS WILL BE ISSUED AS NECESSARY. FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...CONSULT STATEMENTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. $$ FORECASTER FRANKLIN