WTNT32 KNHC 310850 TCPAT2 BULLETIN HURRICANE GASTON ADVISORY NUMBER 35 NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL072016 500 AM AST WED AUG 31 2016 ...GASTON OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL ATLANTIC WITH 120 MPH WINDS... SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST...0900 UTC...INFORMATION ---------------------------------------------- LOCATION...33.4N 50.2W ABOUT 850 MI...1365 KM E OF BERMUDA ABOUT 1335 MI...2150 KM W OF THE AZORES MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...120 MPH...195 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...NE OR 50 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...956 MB...28.23 INCHES WATCHES AND WARNINGS -------------------- THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT. INTERESTS IN THE AZORES SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF GASTON. DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK ------------------------------ AT 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), THE WELL-DEFINED EYE OF HURRICANE GASTON WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 33.4 NORTH, LONGITUDE 50.2 WEST. GASTON IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST NEAR 9 MPH (15 KM/H). AN EAST-NORTHEASTWARD OR NORTHEASTWARD MOTION WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 120 MPH (195 KM/H) WITH HIGHER GUSTS. GASTON IS A CATEGORY 3 HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SCALE. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED TODAY, BUT WEAKENING SHOULD BEGIN TONIGHT OR EARLY THURSDAY. HURRICANE-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 45 MILES (75 KM) FROM THE CENTER AND TROPICAL-STORM-FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 160 MILES (260 KM). THE ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 956 MB (28.23 INCHES). HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND ---------------------- NONE. NEXT ADVISORY ------------- NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 1100 AM AST. .. FORECASTER AVILA=