Hurricane Lili

Forecast Advisory 45

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000
WTNT33 KNHC 021745
TCPAT3
BULLETIN
HURRICANE LILI SPECIAL ADVISORY NUMBER 45
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
1 PM CDT WED OCT 02 2002

...LILI STRENGTHENS RAPIDLY TO DANGEROUS CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE...

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