A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM EAST OF HIGH ISLAND TEXAS TO THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION.
A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FREEPORT TEXAS TO HIGH ISLAND...AND FROM THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE ALABAMA/FLORIDA BORDER...INCLUDING NEW ORLEANS AND LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN.
AT 1 PM CDT...1800Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE LILI WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.3 NORTH...LONGITUDE 89.4 WEST OR ABOUT 325 MILES SOUTH OF NEW ORLEANS LOUISIANA.
LILI IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS.
REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES LILI A DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES FROM THE CENTER...AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 185 MILES. HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO SPREAD INLAND UP TO 150 MILES NEAR THE TRACK OF THE CENTER OF LILI.
THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER IS 941 MB...27.79 INCHES.
A LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 15 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS IS LIKELY NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES THE COAST. THIS SURGE COULD SPREAD WELL INLAND ACROSS THE LOW- LYING AREAS OF THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.
RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG THE TRACK OF LILI.
REPEATING THE 1 PM CDT POSITION...25.3 N... 89.4 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...NORTHWEST NEAR 15 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 941 MB.
FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 4 PM CDT.
FORECASTER BEVEN