000 WTNT33 KNHC 012050 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE HANNA ADVISORY NUMBER 20 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL082008 500 PM AST MON SEP 01 2008 ...HANNA CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN AS IT MEANDERS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS 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. INTERESTS IN EASTERN CUBA...THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...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 500 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE HANNA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.6 WEST...OR JUST EAST OF MAYAGUANA ISLAND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS. HANNA HAS BEEN MEANDERING DURING THE LAST SEVERAL HOUR BUT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE TOWARD THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH...6 KM/HR TONIGHT. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. ON THE FORECAST TRACK HANNA WILL BE MOVING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN AND CENTRAL BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. HANNA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES...260 KM. A WIND GUST OF 61 MPH WAS RECENTLY OBSERVED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 983 MB...29.03 INCHES. HANNA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS... WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 12 INCHES POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF EASTERN CUBA AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING MUDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODING. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3-5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA. SWELLS FROM HANNA ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS ALONG PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES COAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. REPEATING THE 500 PM AST POSITION...22.2 N...72.6 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...SOUTH-SOUTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...983 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 800 PM AST FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 1100 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER RHOME/AVILA