000 WTNT34 KNHC 022041 TCPAT4 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM IKE ADVISORY NUMBER 6 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL092008 500 PM AST TUE SEP 02 2008 ...IKE CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN... AT 500 PM AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM IKE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 19.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 46.3 WEST OR ABOUT 1030 MILES ...1655 KM...EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS. IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 17 MPH...28 KM/HR...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS. IKE COULD BECOME A HURRICANE TONIGHT OR ON WEDNESDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175 MILES...280 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 996 MB...29.41 INCHES. REPEATING THE 500 PM AST POSITION...19.2 N...46.3 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 17 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...996 MB. THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1100 PM AST. $$ FORECASTER BERG/KNABB