LILI STILL MEANDERING AS IT ORGANIZES

(See NOAA's National Hurricane Center for the latest information on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.)

September 28, 2002 — Reports from an Air Force hurricane hunter plane indicate that the center of Lili is not well-defined and may be reforming to the northeast of its former position. At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Lili was estimated near latitude 18.1 north, longitude 75.5 west or about 85 miles east-northeast of Kingston, Jamaica, and about 130 miles south of Guantanamo Bay, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Lili taken at 11:15 a.m. EDT on Sept. 28, 2002. Click here to see latest view. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Lili continues to meander as it tries to become better organized. A slow northwest or north-northwest motion is expected later Saturday. On this track, the center of Lili will be near the south coast of eastern Cuba Saturday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles from the center. Estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb, 29.53 inches.

Heavy rains continue to spread across Jamaica and the southwestern peninsula of Haiti and should begin to spread over portions of eastern Cuba later Saturday. These rains could cause life-threatening flash flooding and mud slides.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect for Jamaica. Tropical storm conditions are probably occurring on the southwestern peninsula of Haiti. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the provinces of Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Holguin. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for the provinces of Las Tunas and Camaguey. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices.

Click NOAA tracking map for larger view.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's National Hurricane Center — Get the latest advisories here

NOAA's Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes

El Niño Expected to Impact Atlantic Hurricane Season, NOAA Reports

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

NOAA's River Forecast Centers

NOAA's Flood Products

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Media Contact:
Frank Lepore, NOAA's National Hurricane Center, (305) 229-4404