8 p.m. update on Tropical Storm Gustav

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

************************* CENTER OF GUSTAV NEAR THE SOUTH COAST OF JAMAICA. AT 800 PM EDT THE GOVERNMENT OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS HAS ISSUED A HURRICANE WARNING FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS.

A HURRICANE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR JAMAICA. A HURRICANE WATCH CONTINUES FOR WESTERN CUBA FOR THE PROVINCES OF ISLA DE JUVENTUD, PINAR DEL RIO, LA HABANA AND CIUDAD DE LA HABANA.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE PROVINCE OF MATANZAS.

A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF GRANMA. INTERESTS ELSEWHERE IN CENTRAL AND WESTERN CUBA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GUSTAV. FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA, INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS, PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 800 PM EDT THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GUSTAV WA LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.9 NORTH - LONGITUDE 77.0 WEST OR ABOUT 15 MILES (25 KM) WEST OF KINGSTON JAMAICA AND ABOUT 300 MILES (485 KM) EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GRAND CAYMAN. GUSTAV IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 7 MPH (11 KM/HR).

A TURN TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST AND NORTHWEST IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

ON THIS TRACK THE CENTER OF GUSTAV WILL CROSS JAMAICA TONIGHT AND MOVE NEAR OR OVER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS FRIDAY OR FRIDAY NIGHT. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 70 MPH (110 KM/HR) WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

SOME WEAKENING IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT WHILE GUSTAV CROSSES JAMAICA.

BUT STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AND GUSTAV COULD BECOME A HURRICANE BY TOMORROW. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES (75 KM) FROM THE CENTER.

KINGSTON RECENTLY REPORTED SUSTAINED WINDS OF 49 MPH (80 KM/HR). THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE BASED ON SURFACE OBSERVATIONS ON JAMAICA IS 988 MB (29.18 INCHES). GUSTAV IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 12 INCHES ACROSS JAMAICA AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF UP TO 25 INCHES POSSIBLE.

THESE RAINS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES. RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHERN CUBA.

RAINFALL WILL BE DIMINISHING OVER HAITI TONIGHT WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 1 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS IN THE HURRICANE WARNING AREA.

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