NWS MIAMI DISCUSSION UPDATE

[weatherFrEaK]

.UPDATE...CENTER OF CIRCULATION WITH HURRICANE FRANCES IS OVER GRAND
BAHAMA AT THIS TIME. THE VERY INTENSE RAINBAND WEST OF THE CENTER OF
CIRCULATION IS NOW BEGINNING TO AFFECT THE PALM BEACH COUNTY COAST.
DANGEROUS WIND REPORTS ARE NOW COMING IN. HIGHEST REPORT SO FAR IS
91 MPH AT JUPITER INLET. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE GUSTS AS HIGH
AS 100 MPH...AS THE MOST INTENSE PART OF THE BAND MOVES ONSHORE OVER
THE NEXT FEW HOURS. FOR SOUTH FLORIDA...THE WORSE CONDITIONS WILL
CONTINUE TO BE FOUND OVER PALM BEACH COUNTY...AND LATER INLAND NEAR
THE LAKE OKEECHOBEE REGION. BUT IT NEEDS TO BE EMPHASIZED THAT
HURRICANE FORCE WIND GUSTS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION EVEN
SOUTHWARD INTO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. THE RADAR PRESENTATION OF FRANCES
IS IMPROVING THIS MORNING. DO NOT LET YOUR GUARD DOWN! /DG

[WXBUFFJIM]

It's something very well worth emphasizing as we've been doing here for the past several days. I would not be shocked to see a major category 3 hurricane landfall near West Palm Beach later tonight. Rainfall could be absolutely devastating given the slow forward motion of 6 mph. If it continues on this forward speed, over 20 inches of rain would be widespread, especially along and to the noth of where the center makes landfall.

Jim