000 WTNT33 KNHC 190845 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE GORDON ADVISORY NUMBER 15 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL082012 500 AM AST SUN AUG 19 2012 ...GORDON HEADED FOR THE EASTERN AZORES...CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO DETERIORATE LATER TODAY... SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...34.9N 31.6W ABOUT 390 MI...630 KM WSW OF SAO MIGUEL ISLAND AZORES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...105 MPH...165 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...E OR 80 DEGREES AT 23 MPH...37 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 EASTERN AZORES A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 HOURS. 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 AM AST...0900 UTC...THE EYE OF HURRICANE GORDON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 31.6 WEST. GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST NEAR 23 MPH...37 KM/H. A TURN TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST IS EXPECTED LATER TODAY. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF GORDON WILL BE NEAR OR OVER THE ISLANDS OF THE EASTERN AZORES EARLY MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 105 MPH...165 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GORDON IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. WEAKENING IS FORECAST...BUT GORDON IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE A HURRICANE WHEN IT PASSES NEAR OR OVER THE EASTERN AZORES. 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. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 969 MB...28.61 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE EASTERN AZORES LATE TODAY...WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND MONDAY. RAINFALL...GORDON IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES. SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY GORDON ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES TODAY...CAUSING DANGEROUS SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE FOR MORE INFORMATION. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 AM AST. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 AM AST. $$ FORECASTER CANGIALOSI/BROWN