000 WTNT33 KNHC 250850 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE RINA ADVISORY NUMBER 8 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL182011 500 AM EDT TUE OCT 25 2011 ...RINA NOW A CATEGORY 2 HURRICANE WITH 100 MPH WINDS... SUMMARY OF 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...17.3N 83.6W ABOUT 210 MI...335 KM SW OF GRAND CAYMAN ABOUT 320 MI...515 KM ESE OF CHETUMAL MEXICO MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...100 MPH...160 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 290 DEGREES AT 3 MPH...6 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...975 MB...28.79 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA FROM CHETUMAL TO PUNTA GRUESA...AND A HURRICANE WATCH FROM NORTH OF PUNTA GRUESA TO CANCUN. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA FROM NORTH OF PUNTA GRUESA TO CANCUN A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA FROM CHETUMAL TO PUNTA GRUESA A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 500 AM EDT...0900 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RINA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.6 WEST. RINA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH...6 KM/H...AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST WITH SOME INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT 48 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER WILL BE APPROACHING THE EAST COAST OF THE YUCATAN PENINSULA BY THURSDAY MORNING. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATES THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 100 MPH...160 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. RINA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO...AND RINA COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY TONIGHT OR EARLY WEDNESDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES...30 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE ESTIMATED FROM THE HURRICANE HUNTER DATA IS 975 MB...28.79 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- RAINFALL...RINA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 AM EDT. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 AM EDT. $$ FORECASTER PASCH/LANDSEA