000 WTNT34 KNHC 230549 TCPAT4 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM RICHARD INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 9A NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL192010 200 AM EDT SAT OCT 23 2010 ...RICHARD APPROACHING THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF HONDURAS... SUMMARY OF 200 AM EDT...0600 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...15.8N 82.6W ABOUT 70 MI...110 KM NE OF CABO GRACIAS A DIOS ON NIC/HON BORDER ABOUT 270 MI...430 KM E OF ISLA ROATAN HONDURAS MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...45 MPH...75 KM/HR PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 270 DEGREES AT 7 MPH...11 KM/HR MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1007 MB...29.74 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY... NONE. 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 THE HONDURAS/GUATEMALA BORDER...AND THE BAY ISLANDS A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR... * 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 200 AM EDT...0600 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM RICHARD WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 15.8 NORTH...LONGITUDE 82.6 WEST. RICHARD IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR. A WESTWARD TO WEST- NORTHWESTWARD MOTION WITH SOME INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF RICHARD IS EXPECTED TO PASS NEAR OR OVER THE NORTHEASTERN COAST OF HONDURAS TODAY...NEAR OR OVER THE BAY ISLANDS OF HONDURAS SATURDAY NIGHT OR SUNDAY...AND COULD APPROACH THE COASTS OF BELIZE AND SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO LATE SUNDAY. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 45 MPH...75 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AND RICHARD IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE BY SUNDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM MAINLY TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1007 MB...29.74 INCHES. HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- STORM SURGE...A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF HONDURAS AND IN THE BAY ISLANDS. NEAR THE COAST...THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES. 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 TODAY...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 COMPLETE ADVISORY...500 AM EDT. $$ FORECASTER CANGIALOSI/BROWN