000
WTNT33 KNHC 200833
TCPAT3
BULLETIN
HURRICANE BILL ADVISORY NUMBER  20
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL032009
500 AM AST THU AUG 20 2009

...BILL WEAKENS SLIGHTLY TO A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE...
 
INTERESTS IN BERMUDA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF BILL.  A
HURRICANE OR TROPICAL STORM WATCH WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED FOR
BERMUDA LATER THIS MORNING.
 
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA IN THE UNITED
STATES...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE
MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
FORECAST OFFICE.  FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA
OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
 
AT 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 21.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 60.3 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES...
525 KM...NORTH-NORTHEAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND ABOUT 790 MILES
...1270 KM...SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF BERMUDA.
 
BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 18 MPH...30 KM/HR...AND
THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO WITH A TURN
TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHWEST BY LATE FRIDAY. 
 
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 125 MPH...
205 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  BILL IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE
ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE.  SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING
THE NEXT 24 HOURS...AND BILL COULD REGAIN CATEGORY FOUR STATUS
LATER TODAY OR FRIDAY.  A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS
CURRENTLY ENROUTE TO INVESTIGATE BILL.
 
BILL IS A LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE.  HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 230 MILES...370 KM.  DURING
THE PAST SEVERAL HOURS...NOAA BUOY 41044 REPORTED 1-MINUTE MEAN
WINDS OF 77 MPH...124 KM/HR...AND A PEAK GUST OF 92 MPH...
148 KM/HR...AS THE CENTER OF BILL PASSED ABOUT 75 MILES...
120 KM...TO THE SOUTHWEST.
 
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 949 MB...28.02 INCHES.
 
LARGE SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH BILL WILL BE IMPACTING THE ISLANDS OF
THE NORTHEAST CARIBBEAN SEA...THE BAHAMAS...AND BERMUDA DURING THE
NEXT DAY OR TWO.  LARGE SWELLS ASSOCIATED WITH BILL SHOULD ALSO
BEGIN TO AFFECT PORTIONS OF THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
 
...SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST INFORMATION...
LOCATION...21.6N 60.3W
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NORTHWEST OR 305 DEGREES AT 18 MPH
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...949 MB
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
1100 AM AST.
 
$$
FORECASTER BEVEN