BULLETIN
Tropical Storm Laura Intermediate Advisory Number 16A
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL132020
800 PM EDT Sun Aug 23 2020
…LAURA NOW LOCATED OVER EASTERN CUBA…
…HEAVY RAINS OCCURRING OVER EASTERN CUBA, HAITI, AND JAMAICA….
SUMMARY OF 800 PM EDT…0000 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…20.0N 75.6W
ABOUT 30 MI…55 KM W OF GUANTANAMO CUBA
ABOUT 175 MI…280 KM ESE OF CAMAGUEY CUBA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…60 MPH…95 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 21 MPH…33 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1000 MB…29.53 INCHES
WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:
The government of the Bahamas has discontinued the Tropical Storm
Warning for Inagua and the Ragged Islands in the southeastern
Bahamas.
SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Entire coast of the Haiti
* Little Cayman and Cayman Brac
* Cuban provinces of Camaguey, Las Tunas, Holguin, Guantanamo,
Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Ciego De Avila, Sancti Spiritus, Villa
Clara, Cienfuegos, Matanzas, Mayabeque, La Habana, Artemisa, Pinar
del Rio, and the Isle of Youth
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* Florida Keys from Craig Key to Key West and the Dry Tortugas
The Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the
next 12 to 24 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, in this case within the next 24
hours.
For storm information specific to your area in the United
States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please
monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office. For storm information specific to your area
outside of the United States, please monitor products issued by
your national meteorological service.
DISCUSSION AND OUTLOOK
———————-
At 800 PM EDT (0000 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Laura was
located near latitude 20.0 North, longitude 75.6 West. Laura is
moving toward the west-northwest near 21 mph (33 km/h), and this
general motion with some decrease in forward speed is expected over
the next couple of days. A turn toward the northwest is forecast by
Wednesday. On the forecast track, the center of Laura will move
near or over the southern coast Cuba tonight and Monday, and move
over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico Monday night and Tuesday. Laura
is expected to move over the central and northwestern Gulf of Mexico
Tuesday night and Wednesday.
The maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph (95 km/h) with higher
gusts. Little change in strength is forecast while Laura moves near
the southern coast of Cuba tonight and Monday. However,
strengthening is forecast after the storm moves over the Gulf of
Mexico, and Laura is forecast to become a hurricane late Tuesday or
Tuesday night.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles (220 km)
from the center. An observation in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, recently
measured sustained winds of 35 mph (56 km/h) and a wind gust to 44
mph (71 km/h).
The minimum central pressure based on surface observations is 1000
mb (29.53 inches).
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
RAINFALL: Laura is expected to produce the following storm total
rainfall accumulations through Tuesday:
Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, and Cuba: 4 to 8 inches, with
maximum amounts of 12 inches.
Cayman Islands: 2 to 4 inches, maximum amounts of 6 inches.
Florida Keys, Turks and Caicos and southeast Bahamas: 1 to 2 inches.
Across the Greater Antilles this heavy rainfall could lead to
life-threatening flash and urban flooding, and the potential for
mudslides.
By later Wednesday into Friday Laura is expected to produce rainfall
of 5 to 10 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches across
portions of the west-central U.S. Gulf Coast near the Texas and
Louisiana border north into portions of the lower Mississippi
Valley. This rainfall could lead to flash, urban, and small stream
flooding.
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are expected within portions of the
warning area in Haiti through this evening. Tropical storm
conditions are expected within portions of the warning area in Cuba
later tonight through Monday. Tropical storm conditions are
expected in Little Cayman and Cayman Brac on Monday. Tropical storm
conditions are possible within portions of the watch area in the
Florida Keys Monday.
SURF: Swells generated by Laura are affecting portions of
Hispaniola, eastern Cuba, the southeastern Bahamas and the
Turks and Caicos Islands. These swells are expected to spread
across central and western Cuba, the central and northwestern
Bahamas, and the Florida Keys on Monday. Please consult products
from your local weather office.
TORNADOES: An isolated tornado is possible across far southern
Florida on Monday.