1100 AM AST FRI SEP 05 2008
...IKE MOVING SLIGHTLY SOUTH OF WEST...
INTERESTS IN THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN AND
CENTRAL BAHAMAS SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IKE. A
HURRICANE WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND
THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATER TODAY.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
AT 1100 AM AST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IKE WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 23.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 62.7 WEST OR ABOUT 425 MILES...
685 KM...NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS AND ABOUT 550 MILES...885 KM
...EAST-NORTHEAST OF GRAND TURK ISLAND.
IKE IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 16 MPH...26 KM/HR. A MOTION
TOWARD THE WEST OR WEST-SOUTHWEST IS FORECAST TODAY AND TOMORROW...
WITH A TURN BACK TO THE WEST EXPECTED BY SUNDAY. ON THIS TRACK...
IKE COULD BE NEAR THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS AND THE SOUTHEASTERN
BAHAMAS EARLY SUNDAY.
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 120 MPH...195 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. IKE IS A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON
SCALE. SOME WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS BUT IKE
IS EXPECTED TO BE A MAJOR HURRICANE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES...55 KM...FROM
THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105
MILES...165 KM.
THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 954 MB...28.17 INCHES.
