000 WTNT31 KNHC 310243 TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE FRANCES ADVISORY NUMBER 25 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 11 PM AST MON AUG 30 2004 ...MAHJOR HURRICANE FRANCES PASSING NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS... AT 11 PM AST...0300Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF FRANCE HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR GUADELOUPE. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LEEWARD ISLANDS...ANTIGUA...BARBUDA...ST MAARTEN...ANGUILLA...NEVIS...ST. KITTS...ST. EUSTATIUS...SABA...AND ALSO FOR PUERTO RICO...CULEBRA... VIEQUES AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS OF ST. THOMAS...ST. JOHN AND SURROUNDING ISLANDS...AND FOR THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS. AT 11 PM AST...0300Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM MANZANILLO BAY EASTWARD TO CABO ENGANO. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ST. MARTIN... ST. BARTHELEMY...AND ST. CROIX. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED EARLY FRIDAY MORNING FOR PORTIONS OF THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. AT 11 PM AST...0300Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FRANCES WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 61.4 WEST OR ABOUT 150 MILES... 245 KM...NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS. FRANCES IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF THE HURRICANE WILL PASS TO THE NORTH OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS LATE TONIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY. HOWEVER...THE OUTER BANDS OF FRANCES WILL BEGIN AFFECTING THESE ISLANDS LATER TONIGHT AND ON TUESDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH...205 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY COULD OCCUR DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 945 MB...27.91 INCHES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES...LOCALLY HIGHER...ARE LIKELY OVER PORTIONS OF THE WARNING AREA IN ASSOCIATION WITH FRANCES. REPEATING THE 11 PM AST POSITION...19.7 N... 61.4 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 945 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 2 AM AST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 5 AM AST. FORECASTER STEWART $$