5 AM update on Fabian and latest on GOM

[WXBUFFJIM]

Hurricane Fabian remains a category 4 hurricane as it moves slowly northwestward. Interests in Bermuda should monitor this system carefully as hurricane advisories could be needed in the next day or so.

At 5 AM, the center of Hurricane Fabian was located near latitude 21.6 north, longitude 62.2 west or about 240 miles north northeast of St Martin.

Fabian was moving towards the nortbwest at near 8 mph and this general motion is expected to continue through the enxt 24 hours. Maximum sustained winds are 135 mph with higher gusts. Fluctuations are common in major hurricanes and such as the case over the next 24 hours. Weakening is expected to begin after today and Bermuda is threatened by a category 3 hurricane by late Friday.

Hurricane force winds extend outward 70 miles from the center while tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles. An airforce hurricane hunter aircraft measured a minimum central pressure of 945 millibars or 27.91 inches.

Large waves, dangerous swells, and dangerous rip currents will continue to affect the islands of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands on over to the northern Lesser Antillies over the next day or so.

Watch out for large waves on the eastern seaboard this weekend. One of the hardest hit areas for wave action willlikely be from ocean City, MD on south through the carolina beaches where 8-12 foot waves are possible this weekend. This will be wind waves with a strong north wind at 25-30 knots behind the cold front combined with the swells from fabian!!! Also watch out for waves of 20-30 feet in BERMUDA, possibly up to 35 feet in the right front quadrant of the hurricane on the northeast side. That's where the strongest winds and highest seas would be located and if Bermuda is in that northeast eyewall, that's huge trouble for them!!!

Meanwhile in the GOM, a tropical wave is being monitored for possile development. Any development will be slow to occur as heavy rains enter the Florida pennisula and the panhandle area as well.

Jim

[rainstorm]

thanks, lets hope something real happens soon!!

[JCT777]

Good update, Jim. And don't forget the wave that is near CV - this one has some potential for development as well.