Friday, September 30, 2011

Public Tropical Cyclone Advisory

800 PM AST FRI SEP 30 2011

...OPHELIA BECOMES STRONGER AS IT MOVES FASTER TO THE NORTH...


SUMMARY OF 800 PM AST...0000 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...25.6N 63.0W
ABOUT 480 MI...770 KM SSE OF BERMUDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 355 DEGREES AT 16 MPH...26 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...956 MB...28.23 INCHES


WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...

NONE.

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* BERMUDA

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO BERMUDA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS
ISSUED BY THE BERMUDA WEATHER SERVICE.


DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 800 PM AST...0000 UTC...THE EYE OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 25.6 NORTH...LONGITUDE 63.0 WEST. OPHELIA IS MOVING
TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/H. THIS GENERAL MOTION IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO...BRINGING THE CORE
OF OPHELIA EAST OF BERMUDA LATE SATURDAY. A TURN TO THE NORTH-
NORTHEAST SHOULD BEGIN BY SUNDAY WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED.

SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE
INCREASED TO NEAR 120 MPH...195 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. OPHELIA
IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND
SCALE. SOME FLUCTUATIONS IN INTENSITY ARE LIKELY DURING THE NEXT
12 TO 24 HOURS FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL WEAKENING.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 175
MILES...280 KM MAINLY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 956 MB...28.23 INCHES.


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ON BERMUDA STARTING
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

SURF...LARGE SWELLS CREATED BY OPHELIA WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS SURF
CONDITIONS ALONG THE SOUTH-FACING BEACHES OF BERMUDA.

RAINFALL...RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 1 INCH CAN BE EXPECTED
ON BERMUDA IN ASSOCIATION WITH OPHELIA.


NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 PM AST.

$$
FORECASTER BLAKE/FRANKLIN


**This information should not be used to make life or death decisions.
For official warnings and statements tune to your local broadcast stations
or visit http://weather.gov