000 WTNT34 KNHC 222049 TCPAT4 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM RICHARD ADVISORY NUMBER 8 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL192010 500 PM EDT FRI OCT 22 2010 ...RICHARD SLOWLY INTENSIFYING... SUMMARY OF 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...16.2N 81.7W ABOUT 130 MI...210 KM NE OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ON NIC/HON BORDER ABOUT 325 MI...525 KM E OF ISLA ROATAN HONDURAS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...45 MPH...75 KM/HR PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 5 MPH...7 KM/HR MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1005 MB...29.68 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... THE GOVERNMENT OF HONDURAS HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH AND A TROPICAL STORM WARNING FOR THE BAY ISLANDS OF HONDURAS. THE GOVERNMENT OF HONDURAS HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE COAST OF HONDURAS FROM WEST OF LIMON TO THE BORDER OF GUATEMALA. THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE HAS ISSUED A TROPICAL STORM WATCH FOR THE COAST OF BELIZE. THE GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE COAST OF EASTERN MEXICO FROM PUNTA GRUESA SOUTHWARD TO CHETUMAL. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * HONDURAS FROM THE NICARAGUA/HONDURAS BORDER WESTWARD TO LIMON AND THE BAY ISLANDS * EAST COAST OF MEXICO FROM PUNTA GRUESA TO CHETUMAL A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR... * HONDURAS FROM THE NICARAGUA/HONDURAS BORDER WESTWARD TO LIMON AND THE BAY ISLANDS A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * HONDURAS FROM WEST OF LIMON TO THE GUATEMALA BORDER. * BELIZE A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA. A WATCH IS TYPICALLY ISSUED 48 HOURS BEFORE THE ANTICIPATED FIRST OCCURRENCE OF TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS...CONDITIONS THAT MAKE OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN THE YUCATAN PENINSULA OF MEXICO SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF RICHARD. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RICHARD WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 81.7 WEST. RICHARD IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 5 MPH...7 KM/HR. A WEST TO WEST- NORTHWEST MOTION AT AN INCREASING FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...RICHARD SHOULD APPROACH NORTHEASTERN HONDURAS LATE SATURDAY...AND COULD APPROACH THE COASTS OF BELIZE AND SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO LATE ON SUNDAY. DATA FROM NOAA BUOY 42057 INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 45 MPH...75 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND RICHARD IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A HURRICANE OVER THE WEEKEND. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES...165 KM...MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB...29.68 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- RAINFALL...RICHARD IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES OVER NORTHERN HONDURAS AND THE BAY ISLANDS WITH MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS AROUND 7 INCHES. THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...ESPECIALLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER NORTHEASTERN HONDURAS WITHIN THE WARNING AREA ON SATURDAY...WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS POSSIBLE IN THAT AREA ON SATURDAY NIGHT. HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE COASTS OF BELIZE AND SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO BY LATE SUNDAY. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 PM EDT. NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 PM EDT. $$ FORECASTER BLAKE