000 WTNT33 KNHC 192032 TCPAT3 BULLETIN HURRICANE GORDON ADVISORY NUMBER 17 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL082012 500 PM AST SUN AUG 19 2012 ...GORDON EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER THE EASTERN AZORES MONDAY AS A HURRICANE... SUMMARY OF 500 PM AST...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...36.1N 27.5W ABOUT 160 MI...255 KM SW OF SAO MIGUEL ISLAND IN THE AZORES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...85 MPH...140 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...ENE OR 70 DEGREES AT 21 MPH...33 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...978 MB...28.88 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. 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 36.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 27.5 WEST. GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 21 MPH...33 KM/H. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO...WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. ON THE FORECAST TRACK THE CENTER OF GORDON IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR OR OVER THE EASTERN AZORES ON MONDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 85 MPH...140 KM/H... WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GORDON IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS...BUT GORDON IS 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. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 978 MB...28.88 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH THE EASTERN AZORES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW HOURS...WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT 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 WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS SURF AND RIP CURRENT CONDITIONS IN THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN AZORES. 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