000 WTNT32 KNHC 290548 TCPAT2 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 17A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072008 200 AM EDT FRI AUG 29 2008 ...CENTER OF GUSTAV EXPECTED TO MOVE BACK OVER WATER SOON... HURRICANE WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CUBA...FOR THE PROVINCES OF ISLA DE JUVENTUD...PINAR DEL RIO...LA HABANA...AND CIUDAD DE LA HABANA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF MATANZAS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. 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...0600Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV WAS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF JAMAICA NEAR LATITUDE 17.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 77.7 WEST OR ABOUT 60 MILES...95 KM...WEST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 255 MILES...415 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 8 MPH...13 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL LEAVE JAMAICA IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS LATER TODAY...AND APPROACH WESTERN CUBA ON SATURDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE DATA IS 993 MB...29.32 INCHES. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA. GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 25 INCHES POSSIBLE. THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHERN CUBA. RAINFALL WILL BE DIMINISHING OVER HAITI TONIGHT...WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. REPEATING THE 200 AM EDT POSITION...17.9 N...77.7 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...993 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 AM EDT. $$ FORECASTER BLAKE/AVILA