000 WTNT31 KNHC 041146 TCPAT1 BULLETIN HURRICANE FELIX INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 16A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL062007 800 AM EDT TUE SEP 04 2007 ...POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE FELIX MAKES LANDFALL IN EXTREME NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA AT CATEGORY FIVE STRENGTH... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NICARAGUA FROM PUERTO CABEZAS NORTHWARD TO THE HONDURAS/NICARAGUA BORDER...AND FOR HONDURAS FROM LIMON EASTWARD TO THE HONDURAS/NICARAGUA BORDER. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HONDURAS WEST OF LIMON...FOR THE CARIBBEAN COAST OF GUATEMALA...AND FOR THE ENTIRE COAST OF BELIZE. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ISLA DE PROVIDENCIA....FOR NICARAGUA FROM SOUTH OF PUERTO CABEZAS TO PRINZAPOLKA....AND FOR HONDURAS FROM WEST OF LIMON TO THE HONDURAS/GUATEMALA BORDER... INCLUDING ISLAS DE LA BAHIA. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 800 AM EDT...1200Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE FELIX WAS LOCATED ON THE COAST NEAR LATITUDE 14.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.2 WEST OR VERY NEAR PUNTA GORDA NICARAGUA ABOUT 10 MILES...15 KM...NORTH-NORTHEAST OF PUERTO CABEZAS. FELIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR. A CONTINUED WESTWARD MOTION WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FELIX WILL BE MOVING INLAND OVER NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA TODAY AND OVER HONDURAS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. EARLIER REPORTS FROM A UNITED STATES AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT AND RECENT SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 160 MPH...260 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. FELIX IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. THE HURRICANE WILL WEAKEN AS IT MOVES INLAND OVER NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS TODAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 935 MB...27.61 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING IN EXCESS OF 18 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS POSSIBLE TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER IS MAKING LANDFALL. FELIX IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 5 TO 10 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS NORTHERN NICARAGUA AND MUCH OF HONDURAS...WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 20 INCHES. THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LIFE- THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. REPEATING THE 800 AM EDT POSITION...14.3 N...83.2 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 16 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...160 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...935 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1100 AM EDT. $$ FORECASTER PASCH