000 WTPZ31 KNHC 292029 TCPEP1 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM ALMA ADVISORY NUMBER 5 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP012008 200 PM PDT THU MAY 29 2008 ...CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALMA MAKING LANDFALL ON THE NORTHERN PACIFIC COAST OF NICARAGUA... AT 2 PM PDT...2100 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF EL SALVADOR HAS DISCONTINUED THE HURRICANE WATCH FOR THE COAST OF EL SALVADOR. AT 2 PM PDT...2100 UTC...THE GOVERNMENTS OF NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS HAVE REPLACED THE HURRICANE WARNING WITH A TROPICAL STORM WARNING. AT 2 PM PDT...2100 UTC...THE GOVERNMENT OF COSTA RICA HAS DISCONTINUED THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING SOUTH OF JACO. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE PACIFIC COAST OF CENTRAL AMERICA FROM JACO COSTA RICA NORTHWESTWARD INCLUDING NICARAGUA...HONDURAS AND EL SALVADOR. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. THE CENTER OF ALMA MADE LANDFALL AROUND 12 PM PDT...1900Z...ON THE NORTHERN PACIFIC COAST OF NICARAGUA NEAR THE CITY OF LEON. AT 200 PM PDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM ALMA WAS LOCATED ON THE COAST NEAR LATITUDE 12.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.0 WEST OR ABOUT 50 MILES... 85 KM...WEST-NORTHWEST OF MANAGUA NICARAGUA AND ABOUT 175 MILES...280 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR. ALMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR. THIS TRACK SHOULD BRING THE CYCLONE FARTHER INLAND TONIGHT. A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS ANTICIPATED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 65 MPH...100 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A GRADUAL WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN TONIGHT AS THE CYCLONE MOVES FARTHER INLAND. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES...165 KM MAINLY TO SOUTH AND WEST OF THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 994 MB...29.35 INCHES. ALMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 15 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AMERICA FROM COSTA RICA NORTHWESTWARD THROUGH PORTIONS OF NICARAGUA...HONDURAS...EL SALVADOR...GUATEMALA AND BELIZE. ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF 20 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN AREAS OF HIGHER TERRAIN. THESE RAINS MAY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. REPEATING THE 200 PM PDT POSITION...12.4 N...87.0 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 9 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...65 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...994 MB. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 500 PM PDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 800 PM PDT. $$ FORECASTER AVILA/ROBERTS