BONNIE MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AND GETTING BETTER ORGANIZED; TROPICAL STORM WARNING AND HURRICANE WATCH ISSUED;
TROPICAL STORM CHARLEY NEARING HURRICANE STRENGTH

Aug. 11, 2004 — At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Bonnie was located near latitude 25.9 north, longitude 90.3 west or about 235 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi river. Bonnie is moving toward the north-northeast near 6 mph. A turn to the northeast with a gradual increase in forward speed is expected to occur later Wednesday, according to the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Bonnie taken at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Aug. 11, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

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 70 miles from the center. NOAA buoy 42001, located northeast of the center of Bonnie, reported a 10-minute average wind of 47 mph with a gust to 60 mph during the past few hours.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1000 mb, 29.53 inches. (Click NOAA Tropical Storm Bonnie tracking map for larger view.)

Coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, can be expected near and to the right of where the center makes landfall.

Recent heavy rainfall over the Florida panhandle has saturated the ground. Additional rainfall accumulations of 4 to 6 inches, with isolated higher amounts, can be expected near the path of Bonnie by Thursday morning.

At 11 a.m. EDT, the tropical storm watch for the Florida panhandle and northwest Florida was upgraded to a tropical storm warning from the Alabama/Florida border eastward to the mouth of the Suwanee River. A hurricane watch was also issued for the Florida panhandle and northwest Florida from the Alabama/Florida border eastward to the mouth of the suwanee river.

TROPICAL STORM CHARLEY NEARING HURRICANE STRENGTH

At 11 a.m. EDT, the center of Tropical Storm Charley was relocated near latitude 16.5 north, longitude 76.1 west or about 110 miles south-southeast of Kingston, Jamaica. Charley is moving toward the west-northwest near 18 mph, and a gradual turn to the northwest is expected during the next day or so. On this track, the center will be moving near the south coast of Jamaica later Wednesday. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Charley, with Tropical Storm Bonnie in the upper left-hand corner, taken at 10:15 a.m. EDT on Aug. 11, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph with higher gusts. Charley is expected to become a hurricane later Wednesday.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 115 miles from the center. (Click NOAA Tropical Storm Charley tracking map for larger view.)

The latest minimum central pressure reported by NOAA and Air Force Reserve hurricane hunters is 996 mb, 29.41 inches.

Above normal tides, accompanied by large and dangerous battering waves, are likely along the coasts of Jamaica Wednesday and the Cayman Islands Wednesday night.

Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are likely in association with Charley.

A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch remain in effect for Jamaica. A hurricane warning remains in effect for the Cayman Islands. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Tropical Storm Charley taken at 8:15 a.m. EDT on Aug. 11, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

At 11 a.m. EDT, the government of Cuba issued a hurricane watch for the following provinces of western Cuba: Pinar del Rio, La Habana, Ciudad de la Habana, Matanzas and the Isle of Youth. A hurricane watch remains in effect for the Florida Keys from Dry Tortugas to Craig Key. A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 36 hours. Additional watches likely will be required for portions of the Florida peninsula later Wednesday. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of both Tropical Storms Bonnie and Charley taken at 10:45 a.m. EDT on Aug. 11, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

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

NOAA Satellite Services Division — Latest Images

NOAA 3-D Satellite Images

NOAA Enhanced Satellite Images

NOAA Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes

Above-normal 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season Predicted

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

NOAA Flood Products

NOAA Inland Flooding Information

Significant River Flood Outlook

NOAA Rainfall Graphics
24-hour Observed Precipitation as of 8 a.m. today

Latest rainfall data as of 8 a.m. EDT today

NOAA Buoys

NOAA Tides Online

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NOAA Hurricanes Page

NOAA Storm Watch — Get the latest severe weather information across the USA

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