000 WTNT32 KNHC 080541 TCPAT2 BULLETIN HURRICANE PALOMA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 10A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL172008 100 AM EST SAT NOV 08 2008 ...CENTER OF DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE PALOMA APPROACHING LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. A HURRICANE WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF SANCTI SPIRITUS... CIEGO DE AVILA...CAMAGUEY AND LAS TUNAS. 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 TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND A HURRICANE WATCH ARE IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CUBA AND THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF PALOMA. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AT 100 AM EST...0600Z...THE CENTER OF MAJOR HURRICANE PALOMA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 80.5 WEST OR ABOUT 50 MILES...80 KM...EAST OF GRAND CAYMAN AND ABOUT 40 MILES... 65 KM...SOUTHWEST OF LITTLE CAYMAN. THIS POSITION IS ALSO ABOUT 230 MILES...370 KM...SOUTHWEST OF CAMAGUEY CUBA. PALOMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MPH...11 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PASS OVER OR NEAR LITTLE CAYMAN AND CAYMAN BRAC DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...AND BE APPROACHING THE COAST OF CENTRAL CUBA LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY SUNDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 120 MPH... 195 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. PALOMA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE THIS MORNING...BEFORE GRADUAL WEAKENING BEGINS BY THIS EVENING. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY ENROUTE TO PALOMA. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 958 MB...28.29 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 5 TO 7 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS... ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...IS EXPECTED NEAR THE CENTER OF PALOMA IN THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 8 TO 12 FEET IS EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER OF PALOMA MAKES LANDFALL ALONG THE SOUTH COAST OF CUBA. PALOMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA... WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM TOTALS OF 15 INCHES POSSIBLE...WHICH MAY CAUSE FLASH FLOODS. MUDSLIDES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN HIGHER TERRAIN...ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN CUBA. REPEATING THE 100 AM EST POSITION...19.3 N...80.5 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHEAST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...958 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 400 AM EST. $$ FORECASTER BEVEN/BRENNAN