000 WTNT33 KNHC 181434 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE GORDON ADVISORY NUMBER 12 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL082012 1100 AM AST SAT AUG 18 2012 ...GORDON MOVING QUICKLY EASTWARD...HURRICANE WARNING ISSUED FOR THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES... SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION ----------------------------------------------- LOCATION...34.1N 38.6W ABOUT 700 MI...1130 KM WSW OF THE AZORES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...80 MPH...130 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...E OR 90 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...983 MB...29.03 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... THE GOVERNMENT OF PORTUGAL HAS CHANGED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES TO A HURRICANE WARNING. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA. A WARNING IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 36 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GORDON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 38.6 WEST. GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NEAR 18 MPH...30 KM/H. A TURN TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED ON SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF GORDON WILL APPROACH THE EASTERN AZORES ON SUNDAY NIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 80 MPH...130 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GORDON IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. A LITTLE STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE GORDON REACHES COOLER WATERS ON SUNDAY. WEAKENING IS FORECAST TO BEGIN ON SUNDAY...AND GORDON IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH WHEN IT APPROACHES THE EASTERN AZORES SUNDAY NIGHT. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM..MAINLY TO THE SOUTH OF THE CENTER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES...205 KM FROM THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 983 MB...29.03 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES BY LATE SUNDAY...WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. RAINFALL...GORDON IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER THE AZORES. SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY GORDON ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES ON SUNDAY...CAUSING DANGEROUS SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...200 PM AST. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...500 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER BRENNAN