000 WTNT31 KNHC 170555 TCPAT1 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM FAY INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 6A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL062008 200 AM EDT SUN AUG 17 2008 ...FAY STRENGTHENS SLIGHTLY AS IT TURNS WEST-NORTHWESTWARD... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF SANCTI SPIRITUS EASTWARD TO GUANTANAMO...AND ALSO FOR CAYMAN BRAC AND LITTLE CAYMAN. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CUBA FROM THE PROVINCE OF MATANZAS EASTWARD TO SANCTI SPIRITUS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS... JAMAICA...AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. INTERESTS IN WESTERN CUBA...THE FLORIDA KEYS...AND THE FLORIDA PENINSULA SHOULD 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 AM EDT...0600 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM FAY WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 76.8 WEST OR ABOUT 140 MILES...230 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF CAMAGUEY CUBA. FAY IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH...20 KM/HR. A TURN TO THE NORTHWEST WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS...WITH A TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHWEST EXPECTED ON MONDAY. FAY IS EXPECTED TO BE MOVING VERY NEAR THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA TODAY...CROSS CENTRAL CUBA SUNDAY NIGHT...AND EMERGE INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO OR FLORIDA STRAITS ON MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND FAY COULD BE NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH WHEN IT REACHES CENTRAL CUBA. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES...165 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1004 MB...29.65 INCHES. TIDES OF 1 TO 3 FEET FEET ABOVE NORMAL CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW. FAY IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER HAITI...EASTERN AND CENTRAL CUBA...JAMAICA...AND THE NORTHERN CAYMAN ISLANDS...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER GRAND CAYMAN AND OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. REPEATING THE 200 AM EDT POSITION...19.6 N...76.8 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1004 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 AM EDT. $$ FORECASTER FRANKLIN/RHOME