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#6344 (Received by flhurricane at: 4:36 PM 28.Aug.2004) TCPAT2 BULLETIN TROPICAL STORM GASTON ADVISORY NUMBER 5 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 5 PM EDT SAT AUG 28 2004 ...HURRICANE HUNTER FINDS GASTON STRENGTHENING...HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED... AT 5 PM EDT...A HURRICANE WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO LITTLE RIVER INLET. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE WATCH AREA DURING THE NEXT 36 HOURS. HURRICANE WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR A PORTION OF THE HURRICANE WATCH AREA LATER TONIGHT. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS ALSO IN EFFECT ALONG THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST FROM THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO LITTLE RIVER INLET. A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT ELSEWHERE ALONG THE SOUTHEASTERN U.S. COAST NORTH OF LITTLE RIVER INLET TO SURF CITY NORTH CAROLINA...AND SOUTH OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER TO FERNANDINA BEACH FLORIDA. AT 5 PM EDT...2100Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GASTON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 31.4 NORTH...LONGITUDE 78.9 WEST OR ABOUT 115 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINA. GASTON IS DRIFTING WESTWARD. A SLOW MOTION TOWARD THE NORTHWEST OR NORTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS MOTION COULD BRING THE CENTER OF GASTON NEAR THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST ON SUNDAY. REPORTS FROM AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 50 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST...AND GASTON COULD BE NEAR HURRICANE STRENGTH AS IT APPROACHES THE SOUTH CAROLINA COAST. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 85 MILES FROM THE CENTER. THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY THE HURRICANE HUNTER IS 996 MB...29.41 INCHES. STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS...WITH HIGHER LEVELS IN BAYS...CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE EAST OF WHERE THE CENTER CROSSES THE COAST. TIDES OF 1 TO 3 FT ABOVE NORMAL CAN BE EXPECTED ELSEWHERE IN THE WARNED AREA. DANGEROUS HIGH SURF AND RIP CURRENTS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG THE COAST IN THE WARNED AREA. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 8 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS... CAN BE EXPECTED ALONG THE PATH OF GASTON. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT AND SUNDAY IN THE COASTAL AREAS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. REPEATING THE 5 PM EDT POSITION...31.4 N... 78.9 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD...DRIFTING WESTWARD. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS... 50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE... 996 MB. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE. AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 8 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 11 PM EDT. FORECASTER BEVEN |