NOAA News Online (Story 2308)

LARGE HURRICANE FRANCES NEAR FREEPORT IN THE BAHAMAS

(DISCLAIMER: See the NOAA National Hurricane Center for the latest information and more frequent updates 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.)
Latest NOAA Satellite Image of Frances (Visible)	Latest NOAA Infrared Satellite Image of Frances	Latest NOAA Melbourne, Fla., Radar Image	NOAA Satellite/Radar Time Conversion

NOAA close-up satellite image of Hurricane Frances taken at 8:15 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, 2004, as the still-powerful and large storm draws closer to the east coast of Florida.

Sept. 4, 2004 — At 8 a.m. EDT, the center of Hurricane Frances was located by NOAA radar and surface observations near latitude 26.7 north, longitude 78.4 west or very near Freeport in the Grand Bahama Island. This position is also about 110 miles east of West Palm
Beach, Fla. Frances is moving between the west-northwest and northwest near 6 mph. A turn more to the west-northwest is expected later Saturday. On the forecast track, the large core of Hurricane Frances will continue to move slowly over the northwestern Bahamas Saturday morning and will be very near the Florida east coast by late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, according to the NOAA Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla. (Click NOAA close-up satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Frances taken at 8:15 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, 2004, as the still-powerful and large storm draws closer to the east coast of Florida. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Frances is a strong Category Two hurricane. Maximum sustained winds are near 105 mph with higher gusts. Frances is expected to remain a borderline Category Two or Category Three hurricane until landfall.

NOAA Melbourne, Fla., Doppler radar image of Hurricane Frances taken at 8:42 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, 2004, as Florida begins to feel the effects of the powerful and large storm.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 185 miles. Settlement Point in Grand Bahama Island is currently reporting sustained winds of 75 mph with gusts to 82 mph, a minimum pressure of 974.5 mb, 28.78 inches and falling rapidly. An unofficial report of a gust to 87 mph was recently received from Jupiter Inlet, Fla. (Click NOAA Melbourne, Fla., Doppler radar image for larger view of Hurricane Frances taken at 8:42 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, 2004, as Florida begins to feel the effects of the powerful and large storm. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

Estimated minimum central pressure is 960 mb, 28.35 inches.

Storm surge flooding of 5 to 12 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, can be expected near the center of Frances on the north side of Grand Bahama Island. Storm surge flooding of 3 to 5 feet above normal tide levels can be expected on the west side of the other islands of the Bahamas.

Coastal storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, is expected near and to the north of where the center makes landfall in Florida. Storm surge flooding of 5 feet above normal levels is expected in Lake Okeechobee. Along the southwest Florida coast storm surge flooding of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide levels is expected south of the path of Frances.

(Click NOAA image of 5 a.m. EDT Hurricane Frances tracking map for Sept. 4, 2004.)

Storm total rainfall amounts could reach 20 inches in the northwest Bahamas. Rainfall amounts of 8 to 12 inches, with locally higher amounts, are expected over the Florida peninsula in association with Frances. (Click NOAA image for larger view of 5 a.m. EDT Hurricane Frances tracking map for Sept. 4, 2004.)

Swells generated by Frances are affecting portions of the southeastern coast of the United States. These swells could cause dangerous surf and rip currents.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the east coast of Florida from Florida City northward to Flagler Beach, including Lake Okeechobee. A hurricane warning also remains in effect for the northwestern Bahamas.

A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

A hurricane watch and a tropical storm warning remain in effect from north of Flagler Beach to Fernandina beach.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect on the southern Florida peninsula from Englewood to south of Florida City and for the middle and upper Keys from south of Florida City to the Seven Mile Bridge and for Florida Bay.

A tropical storm watch remains in effect for the Florida west coast from north of Englewood to the Suwannee River.

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