Otto becomes eighth hurricane of the season

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

***************************** OTTO STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE, THE EIGHTH OF THE SEASON.

AT 1100 AM AST, 1500 UTC, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE OTTO WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 25.9 NORTH, LONGITUDE 64.0 WEST.

OTTO IS MOVING TOWARD THE EAST-NORTHEAST NEAR 17 MPH, 28 KM/HR, AND THIS MOTION WITH A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED TO NEAR 75 MPH, 120 KM/HR, WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

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

SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS EXPECTED TODAY, WITH WEAKENING EXPECTED TO BEGIN BY LATE SATURDAY.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 25 MILES, 35 KM, FROM THE CENTER, AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 195 MILES, 315 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 979 MB, 28.91 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

RAINFALL - ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE IN THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS, THE VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO AND THE EASTERN DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TODAY.

THESE RAINS COULD PRODUCE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES.

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