CHANGES HIGH LIGHTED IN YELLOW
ZULU – PORT IS CLOSED –TAMPA/PORT MANATEE/PORT CANAVERAL/JACKSONVILLE
YANKEE – NO INCOMING VESSELS, VESSELS IN PORT MUST BE PREPARED TO DEPART – CLOSURE WITHIN 24 HOURS. - SAVANNAH
X-RAY – NO SE PORTS
SEASONAL 4 - MIA/PORT EVERGLADES/CHARLESTON/WILMINGTON
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Hurricane Helene Advisory Number 12
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL092024
400 AM CDT Thu Sep 26 2024
...HELENE STRENGTHENING AND EXPECTED TO BRING CATASTROPHIC WINDS AND STORM SURGE TO THE NORTHEASTERN GULF COAST......PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO
COMPLETION...
SUMMARY OF 400 AM CDT...0900 UTC...INFORMATION
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LOCATION...24.2N 86.2W
ABOUT 350 MI...560 KM SW OF TAMPA FLORIDA
ABOUT 385 MI...625 KM S OF APALACHICOLA FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90 MPH...150 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 12 MPH...19 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...966 MB...28.53 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
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CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
None.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for...
* Mexico Beach eastward and southward to Flamingo
* Tampa Bay
* Charlotte Harbor
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for...
* Anclote River to Mexico Beach
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...
* Englewood to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...
* Florida Keys, including the Dry Tortugas
* Flamingo to Anclote River, including Tampa Bay
* West of Mexico Beach to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line
* Flamingo northward to Little River Inlet
* Lake Okeechobee
* Cuban provinces of Artemisa, Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
----------------------
At 400 AM CDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Helene was located near latitude 24.2 North, longitude 86.2 West. Helene is moving toward the north-northeast near 12 mph (19 km/h). This general motion is expected to continued with a significant increase in forward speed during the next 24 hours. On the forecast track, Helene will move across the eastern Gulf of Mexico today and cross the Florida Big Bend coast this evening or early Friday morning.
After landfall, Helene is expected to turn northwestward and slow down over the Tennessee Valley on Friday and Saturday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 90 mph (150 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast this evening. Weakening is expected after landfall, but Helene's fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States, including over the higher terrain of the southern Appalachians.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 345 miles(555 km). The Key West Naval Air Station recently reported sustained winds of 41 mph (66 km/h) and a wind gust of 64 mph (103 km/h).
The estimated minimum central pressure based on Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft data is 966 mb (28.53 inches).
NEXT ADVISORY – FROM MORAN SHIPPING – 26/1100
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Next intermediate advisory at 700 AM CDT.
Next complete advisory at 1000 AM CDT.