Hurricane Fabian

Forecast Advisory 17

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000
WTNT35 KNHC 312019
TCPAT5
BULLETIN
HURRICANE FABIAN ADVISORY NUMBER 17
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
5 PM AST SUN AUG 31 2003

...FABIAN BECOMES A DANGEROUS CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE...

AT 5 PM AST...2100Z...THE EYE OF HURRICANE FABIAN WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 18.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 54.0 WEST OR ABOUT 500 MILES...800
KM...EAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS.

FABIAN IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 12 MPH...19 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH A GRADUAL TURN TO THE
WEST-NORTHWEST THEREAFTER. ON THIS TRACK...FABIAN IS FORECAST TO
PASS WELL TO THE NORTH OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS IN A DAY OR TWO.

SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT FABIAN HAS STRENGTHENED DURING THE
PAST FEW HOURS AND MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE REACHED 135
MPH...215 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS MAKES FABIAN A DANGEROUS
CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR/SIMPSON HURRICANE SCALE. AN
AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE WILL REACH FABIAN EARLY MONDAY.

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 948 MB...27.99 INCHES.

REPEATING THE 5 PM AST POSITION...18.2 N... 54.0 W. MOVEMENT
TOWARD...WEST NEAR 12 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...135 MPH.
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 948 MB.

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

FORECASTER AVILA/MAINELLI