CATEGORY 4 HURRICANE FABIAN STRENGTHENING WELL EAST OF THE
NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS (See the NOAA 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.) Aug. 31, 2003 � The NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., reports that at 11 p.m. EDT the center of major Hurricane Fabian was located near latitude 18.5 north, longitude 54.8 west or about 460 miles east of Barbuda in the northern Leeward Islands. Fabian is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. On this track, Fabian is forecast to pass well to the north of the northern Leeward Islands during the next couple of days. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Hurricane Fabian taken Aug. 31, 2003, at 11:15 p.m. EDT. Please credit “NOAA.”)
NOAA satellite images indicate that Fabian has continued to strengthen, and maximum sustained winds have now reached 140 mph with higher gusts. Some fluctuation in strength is possible during the next 24 hours. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is en route and will provide a better estimate of the exact strength of Fabian. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 125 miles. (Click NOAA tracking map of Hurricane Fabian for larger view.) The estimated minimum central pressure is 940 mb, 27.76 inches.
For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation�s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Relevant Web Sites
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NOAA Forecasters Say Six to Nine Hurricanes Could Threaten in 2003
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