Julia expected to continue weakening

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

***************************** JULIA WEAKENING AS IT MOVES QUICKLY NORTHWESTWARD OVER OPEN WATERS OF THE EASTERN ATLANTIC.

AT 1100 AM AST, 1500 UTC, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE JULIA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 38.6 WEST.

JULIA IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 25 MPH, 41 KM/HR.

THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST AT A SLOWER FORWARD SPEED BY FRIDAY EVENING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 100 MPH, 160 KM/HR, WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

JULIA IS A CATEGORY TWO HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE.

ADDITIONAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS, AND JULIA COULD WEAKEN TO A TROPICAL STORM BY FRIDAY EVENING.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES, 55 KM, FROM THE CENTER, AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 140 MILES, 220 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 971 MB, 28.67 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND: NONE.

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