Paula weakens, still threatens Cuba, Florida Keys

NEWS RELEASE

U.S. NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTRE

*************************** PAULA BEGINS TO WEAKEN, WEATHER DETERIORATING OVER WESTERN CUBA.

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS COULD STILL AFFECT A SMALL PORTION OF NORTHEAST YUCATAN WITHIN THE TROPICAL STORM WARNING AREA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS BUT GRADUALLY DIMINISH LATER TODAY.

A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR:

- THE CUBAN PROVINCE OF PINAR DEL RIO.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR:

- THE CUBAN PROVINCES OF LA HABANA AND CUIDAD DE LA HABANA.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR:

- THE FLORIDA KEYS FROM CRAIG KEY WESTWARD, INCLUDING THE DRY TORTUGAS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA, GENERALLY WITHIN 48 HOURS.

AT 400 PM CDT, 2100 UTC, THE CENTER OF HURRICANE PAULA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.7 NORTH, LONGITUDE 85.6 WEST.

PAULA IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 5 MPH, 7 KM/HR, AND A TURN TO THE NORTHEAST AND EAST IS EXPECTED ON THURSDAY.

ON THIS TRACK, PAULA WILL BE PASSING VERY NEAR OR OVER WESTERN CUBA BY TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE DECREASED TO NEAR 85 MPH, 140 KM/HR, WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

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

A GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR TWO.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 10 MILES, 20 KM, FROM THE CENTER, AND TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES, 95 KM.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE FROM A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT WAS 992 MB, 29.29 INCHES.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

WIND - TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH EXTREME WESTERN CUBA LATER TONIGHT, WITH HURRICANE CONDITIONS FORECAST BY EARLY THURSDAY.

WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO INCREASE OVER THE LOWER AND MIDDLE FLORIDA KEYS LATE THURSDAY.

RAINFALL - PAULA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES, WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 10 INCHES POSSIBLE, OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL CUBA.

IN AREAS OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THESE RAINFALL AMOUNTS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.

STORM SURGE - A STORM SURGE WILL RAISE WATER LEVELS BY AS MUCH AS 4 TO 6 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST IN AREAS OF ONSHORE FLOW OVER EXTREME WESTERN CUBA.

THE SURGE WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY LARGE AND DESTRUCTIVE WAVES.

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