FABIAN NOW A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE; FIRST MAJOR HURRICANE OF 2003 SEASON

National Hurricane Center/NOAA ^ | August 30, 2003 | National Hurricane Center

[varina davis]

BULLETIN

HURRICANE FABIAN ADVISORY NUMBER 13 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 PM AST SAT AUG 30 2003

...FABIAN BECOMES THE FIRST MAJOR HURRICANE OF THE SEASON...

HIGH RESOLUTION VISIBLE SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT AT 5 PM AST...2100Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE FABIAN WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 49.8 WEST OR ABOUT 775 MILES...1250 KM... EAST OF THE LESSER ANTILLES.

FABIAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 14 MPH...22 KM/HR. A GENERAL WEST TO NORTHWEST TRACK IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 115 MPH...185 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES FABIAN A DANGEROUS CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES...35 KM... FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 115 MILES...185 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 960 MB...28.35 INCHES.

REPEATING THE 5 PM AST POSITION...17.4 N... 49.8 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...WEST NEAR 14 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...115 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 960 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 11 PM AST.

FORECASTER AVILA

[firewalk]

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[Ditter]

I hope you & the whole east coast escape this storm, it looks bad. That little tropical depression came in over us but it was nothing. Didn't even deserve a name. It is still raining on us however. lol Stay safe.

[nicholle]

Thanks Varian. Keep us posted.

Bt the way - where do you get your information? I have some reading time.

[varina davis]

Nicholle, you might start here -- plenty of updates and info, plus great satellite images:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

[nicholle]

Thanks varina. Looks like Fabian is projected to stay pretty far away from the islands and the mainland.

[ChewedGum]

Whew...track looks good for TX, LA, etc. Hope it clears all land!

Gum

[nicholle]

It looks like if it will threaten at all it will be north of the Carolinas (in the mid-atlantic).