Dec. 4, 2003 — The NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., reports that at 11 a.m. EST the center of Tropical Depression Twenty was located near latitude 13.3 north, longitude 76.3 west or about 320 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica. The depression is moving toward the north-northeast near 10 mph, and this motion is expected to continue during the next 24 hours. On this track, the cyclone will be nearing Haiti and the Windward Passage on Friday. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Depression Twenty taken at 8:45 a.m. EST on Dec. 4, 2003. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. The depression may become a tropical storm later Thursday.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1005 mb, 29.68 inches. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance plane will check the area Thursday afternoon. (Click NOAA tracking map of Tropical Depression Twenty for larger view.)

Rainfall accumulations of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated higher amounts, can be expected near the path of the depression.

At 10 a.m. EST, a tropical storm warning was issued for Haiti.

At 10 a.m. EST, the government of the Dominican Republic issued a tropical storm watch for the Dominican Republic west of Santo Domingo. The government of the Bahamas issued a tropical storm watch for southeastern Bahamas, which includes the
Inaguas, Mayaguana, Acklins, Crooked Islands and Samana Cay and for the Turk and Caicos Islands. Tropical storm watches or warnings may be issued for Jamaica and
Eastern Cuba later Thursday.

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

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

NOAA Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes

NOAA Forecasters Say Six to Nine Hurricanes Could Threaten in 2003

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

NOAA River Forecast Centers

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