...OPHELIA WEAKENS BUT STILL A MAJOR HURRICANE AS IT MOVES
QUICKLY NORTHWARD...
SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...36.2N 61.8W
ABOUT 320 MI...515 KM NNE OF BERMUDA
ABOUT 855 MI...1370 KM SW OF CAPE RACE NEWFOUNDLAND
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...125 MPH...205 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...N OR 10 DEGREES AT 29 MPH...46 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...948 MB...27.99 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY...
NONE
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* THE AVALON PENINSULA OF NEWFOUNDLAND
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR
PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.
DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
------------------------------
AT 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...THE EYE OF HURRICANE OPHELIA WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 36.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 61.8 WEST. OPHELIA IS
MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 29 MPH...46 KM/H. A TURN TOWARD THE
NORTH-NORTHEAST WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED SHOULD BEGIN
LATER TODAY. THE CENTER OF OPHELIA IS FORECAST TO BE NEAR THE
AVALON PENINSULA OF NEWFOUNDLAND ON MONDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 125 MPH...205 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. OPHELIA IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
HURRICANE WIND SCALE. STEADY WEAKENING IS FORECAST THROUGH MONDAY.
HOWEVER...OPHELIA IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH WHEN IT
PASSES CLOSE TO THE AVALON PENINSULA ON MONDAY.
HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 30 MILES...45 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185
MILES...295 KM.
ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 948 MB...27.99 INCHES.
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ON THE AVALON
PENINSULA BY EARLY MONDAY.
SURF...LARGE SWELLS CREATED BY OPHELIA WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS SURF
CONDITIONS ON BERMUDA. THESE CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY SUBSIDE
TODAY.
NEXT ADVISORY
-------------
NEXT INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY...800 AM AST.
NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY...1100 AM AST.
$$
FORECASTER STEWART
**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
