7 PM CDT SAT SEP 16 2000

...GORDON NOW A HURRICANE...MOVING A LITTLE FASTER TOWARD THE
NORTHEAST GULF COAST...

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE FLORIDA WEST
COAST FROM BONITA BEACH NORTHWARD TO THE SUWANEE RIVER. A HURRICANE
WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM BONITA BEACH NORTHWARD TO APALACHICOLA.

A HURRICANE WARNING WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED LATER TONIGHT FOR A
PORTION OF THE AREA CURRENTLY UNDER A HURRICANE WATCH.

AT 7 PM CDT...0000Z...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE GORDON WAS LOCATED
NEAR LATITUDE 25.2 NORTH...LONGITUDE 85.5 WEST OR ABOUT
265 MILES...SOUTHWEST OF TAMPA FLORIDA...AND 305 MILES SOUTH OF
APALACHICOLA FLORIDA.

GORDON IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST NEAR 12 MPH AND THIS
GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 75 MPH WITH HIGHER GUSTS.

HURRICANE FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 40 MILES...MAINLY
NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD
UP TO 170 MILES...MAINLY TO THE NORTHEAST AND EAST OF THE CENTER.

LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY A RECONNAISSANCE
AIRCRAFT WAS 985 MB...29.09 INCHES.

DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY IN THE FORECAST...ALL COASTAL INTERESTS ALONG
THE GULF OF MEXICO FROM FLORIDA TO ALABAMA SHOULD MONITOR THE
PROGRESS OF THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS STORM.