000 WTNT32 KNHC 052054 TCPAT2 BULLETIN HURRICANE LESLIE ADVISORY NUMBER 26 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL122012 500 PM AST WED SEP 05 2012 ...HURRICANE LESLIE DRIFTING ERRATICALLY NORTHWARD... SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...25.9N 62.7W ABOUT 460 MI...740 KM SSE OF BERMUDA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...75 MPH...120 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 360 DEGREES AT 2 MPH...4 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...987 MB...29.15 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE LESLIE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 62.7 WEST. LESLIE IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 2 MPH...4 KM/H. A SLOW NORTHWARD TO NORTH-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION...WHICH MAY BE ERRATIC AT TIMES...IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH...120 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LESLIE IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. GRADUAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...AND LESLIE COULD BECOME A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE BY FRIDAY. HURRICANE-FORCE-WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES...370 KM. NOAA BUOY 41049...LOCATED ABOUT 120 MILES NORTH-NORTHWEST OF THE CENTER OF LESLIE...HAS RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 45 MPH...72 KM/H...AND A GUST TO 51 MPH...82 KM/H. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 987 MB...29.15 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY LESLIE WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT BERMUDA... THE U.S. EAST COAST FROM CENTRAL FLORIDA NORTHWARD...THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...AND THE VIRGIN ISLANDS FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. THESE SWELLS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER STEWART