000
WTPZ31 KNHC 292345
TCPEP1
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM ALMA INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER   5A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   EP012008
500 PM PDT THU MAY 29 2008
 
...ALMA WEAKENING BUT STILL A TROPICAL STORM AS ITS CENTER NEARS
HONDURAS...SIGNIFICANT HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT CONTINUES...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS 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.

AT 500 PM PDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF ALMA WAS LOCATED INLAND OVER
EXTREME WESTERN NICARAGUA...CLOSE TO THE HONDURAS BORDER...NEAR
LATITUDE 12.9 NORTH...LONGITUDE 87.1 WEST OR ABOUT 80 MILES...130
KM...NORTHWEST OF MANAGUA NICARAGUA AND ABOUT 80 MILES...130
KM...SOUTH OF TEGUCIGALPA HONDURAS.

ALMA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 9 MPH...15 KM/HR.  ON THIS
TRACK THE CENTER OF ALMA WILL BE MOVING OVER WESTERN HONDURAS
TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.  A GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTHWEST IS ANTICIPATED
ON FRIDAY...AND THE CENTER OF ALMA OR ITS REMNANT CIRCULATION COULD
REACH GUATEMALA OR BELIZE LATE FRIDAY OR EARLY SATURDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED AND ARE NOW ESTIMATED TO BE
NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  CONTINUED GRADUAL
WEAKENING IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY AS THE CYCLONE MOVES
FARTHER INLAND...AND THE TROPICAL CYCLONE IS EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE
BY SATURDAY OVER NORTHERN CENTRAL AMERICA.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES...140 KM
MAINLY OVER WATER TO SOUTH AND WEST OF THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 998 MB...29.47 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 COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD
SLIDES.
 
REPEATING THE 500 PM PDT POSITION...12.9 N...87.1 W.  MOVEMENT
TOWARD...NORTH NEAR 9 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...50 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...998 MB.
 
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT
800 PM PDT.
 
$$
FORECASTER KNABB/BLAKE