000 WTNT31 KNHC 021747 TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE FELIX INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 8A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL062007 200 PM AST SUN SEP 02 2007 ...FELIX STRENGTHENS INTO A MAJOR HURRICANE... A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA AND FOR GRAND CAYMAN. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. AT 2 PM AST...1800Z...THE GOVERNMENT OF THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES HAS DISCONTINUED ALL WATCHES AND WARNINGS FOR THE ISLANDS OF ARUBA...BONAIRE...AND CURACAO. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE CENTRAL AND WESTERN CARIBBEAN SEA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 200 PM AST...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE FELIX WAS LOCATED BY AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT NEAR LATITUDE 13.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 71.2 WEST OR ABOUT 490 MILES...790 KM...SOUTHEAST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA. FELIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH...30 KM/HR... AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 125 MPH...205 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FELIX IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST... AND FELIX COULD BECOME A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE WITHIN THE NEXT DAY OR SO. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES...30 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM. THE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE REPORTED THAT THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE HAS FALLEN TO 964 MB...28.47 INCHES. FELIX IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH POSSIBLE MAXIMUM ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES OVER THE NETHERLANDS ANTILLES...THE PARAGUANA PENINSULA OF NORTHWESTERN VENEZUELA AND THE GUAJIRA PENINSULA OF NORTHERN COLOMBIA. REPEATING THE 200 PM AST POSITION...13.4 N...71.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...964 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER PASCH