FELIX MAKES LANDFALL

POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE FELIX MAKES LANDFALL IN EXTREME NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA AT CATEGORY FIVE STRENGTH. A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR NICARAGUA FROM PUERTO CABEZASNORTHWARD TO THE HONDURAS NICARAGUA BORDER...AND FOR HONDURAS FROMLIMON EASTWARD TO THE HONDURAS/NICARAGUA BORDER. PREPARATIONS TOPROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN COMPLETED.A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR HONDURAS WEST OF LIMON...FORTHE CARIBBEAN COAST OF GUATEMALA...AND FOR THE ENTIRE COAST OFBELIZE.A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ISLA DEPROVIDENCIA....FOR NICARAGUA FROM SOUTH OF PUERTO CABEZAS TOPRINZAPOLKA....AND FOR HONDURAS FROM WEST OF LIMON TO THEHONDURAS/GUATEMALA BORDER... INCLUDING ISLAS DE LA BAHIA. ATROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AREEXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLEINLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUEDBY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.AT 800 AM EDT...1200Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE FELIX WAS LOCATED ONTHE COAST NEAR LATITUDE 14.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 83.2 WEST OR VERYNEAR PUNTA GORDA NICARAGUA ABOUT 10 MILES...15 KM...NORTH-NORTHEASTOF PUERTO CABEZAS.FELIX IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR. A CONTINUEDWESTWARD MOTION WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTEDDURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CENTER OF FELIX WILLBE MOVING INLAND OVER NORTHEASTERN NICARAGUA TODAY AND OVERHONDURAS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.EARLIER REPORTS FROM A UNITED STATES AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTERAIRCRAFT AND RECENT SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT THE MAXIMUMSUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 160 MPH...260 KM/HR...WITHHIGHER GUSTS. FELIX IS A POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC CATEGORY FIVEHURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. THE HURRICANE WILL WEAKENAS IT MOVES INLAND OVER NICARAGUA AND HONDURAS TODAY.HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES...75 KM...FROMTHE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115MILES...185 KM.THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 935 MB...27.61 INCHES.

Posted by Patrick Crawford at 6:14 AM