500 PM AST MON SEP 01 2008
...HANNA CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN AS IT MEANDERS OVER THE
SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL BAHAMAS...THE
SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS. A
HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED
WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. PREPARATIONS TO
PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
INTERESTS IN EASTERN CUBA...THE NORTHWEST BAHAMAS...AND THE FLORIDA
PENINSULA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.
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 AST...2100Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE HANNA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 22.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 72.6 WEST...OR JUST EAST OF
MAYAGUANA ISLAND IN THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS.
HANNA HAS BEEN MEANDERING DURING THE LAST SEVERAL HOUR BUT IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE TOWARD THE SOUTH-SOUTHWEST NEAR 3 MPH...6 KM/HR
TONIGHT. A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE WEST IS EXPECTED TOMORROW. ON
THE FORECAST TRACK HANNA WILL BE MOVING OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN AND
CENTRAL BAHAMAS DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 80 MPH...130
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. HANNA IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON
THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS FORECAST
DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 70 MILES...110 KM...TO
THE NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND
OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES...260 KM. A WIND GUST OF 61 MPH WAS
RECENTLY OBSERVED IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT
WAS 983 MB...29.03 INCHES.
HANNA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES OVER
THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS...AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS
ISLANDS... WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 12 INCHES
POSSIBLE THROUGH THURSDAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH
MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 8 INCHES ARE EXPECTED OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS
TERRAIN OF EASTERN CUBA AND NORTHERN PORTIONS OF HISPANIOLA. THESE
RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING MUDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODING.
COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3-5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE
EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW WITHIN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.
SWELLS FROM HANNA ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE THE RISK OF DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS ALONG PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES COAST
DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.
