000 WTNT33 KNHC 182032 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE GORDON ADVISORY NUMBER 13 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL082012 500 PM AST SAT AUG 18 2012 ...GORDON STRENGTHENS MORE AS IT HEADS FOR THE AZORES... SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...34.1N 36.4W ABOUT 590 MI...950 KM WSW OF THE AZORES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH...165 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...E OR 85 DEGREES AT 21 MPH...33 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...969 MB...28.61 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... NONE. 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. 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 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GORDON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 36.4 WEST. GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NEAR 21 MPH...33 KM/H. A TURN TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED BY SUNDAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF GORDON WILL APPROACH THE EASTERN AZORES ON SUNDAY NIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 105 MPH...165 KM/H... WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GORDON IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. WEAKENING IS FORECAST TO BEGIN ON SUNDAY... BUT GORDON IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH AS IT PASSES NEAR THE EASTERN AZORES SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 125 MILES...205 KM. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 969 MB...28.61 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES BY LATE SUNDAY...WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED 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...800 PM AST. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER BRENNAN