8 p.m. update on Hurricane Richard

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

***************************** RICHARD ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL JUST SOUTH OF BELIZE CITY.

SUMMARY OF 700 PM CDT INFORMATION.

LOCATION...17.2N 88.2W

ABOUT 20 MI...35 KM S OF BELIZE CITY

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...90 MPH...150 KM/HR

PRESENT MOVEMENT...WNW OR 285 DEGREES AT 10 MPH...17 KM/HR

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...981 MB...28.97 INCHES

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR BELIZE.

A HURRICANE WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST COAST OF YUCATAN MEXICO FROM PUNTA GRUESA TO CHETUMAL.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST COAST OF YUCATAN MEXICO FROM PUNTA GRUESA TO CHETUMAL.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA, PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

AT 700 PM CDT, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE RICHARD WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.2 NORTH - LONGITUDE 88.2 WEST. - RICHARD IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH (17 KM/HR) AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TONIGHT WITH A DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED ON MONDAY.

ON THE FORECAST TRACK, THE CENTER OF RICHARD WILL MOVE INLAND OVER BELIZE TONIGHT, ACROSS NORTHERN GUATEMALA MONDAY AND INTO SOUTHERN MEXICO LATE MONDAY OR MONDAY NIGHT.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 90 MPH (150 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

RICHARD IS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.

WEAKENING IS EXPECTED AS RICHARD MOVES INLAND.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 15 MILES (30 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 105 MILES (165 KM).

THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 981 MB (28.97 INCHES).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

STORM SURGE - A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 3 TO 5 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS ALONG THE COAST OF BELIZE NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER. NEAR THE COAST, THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

RAINFALL - RICHARD IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER THE BAY ISLANDS, BELIZE AND THE SOUTHERN YUCATAN PENINSULA, WITH MAXIMUM STORM TOTAL AMOUNTS OF AROUND 10 INCHES.

ADDITIONAL RAINS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER NORTHERN HONDURAS.

THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES, ESPECIALLY IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

WIND - HURRICANE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO SPREAD INLAND OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL BELIZE TONIGHT AND EARLY MONDAY. TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WILL SPREAD OVER PORTIONS OF THE COAST OF SOUTHEASTERN MEXICO IN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA TONIGHT.

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