The 10 a.m. CDT advisory package from the NHC is out…and there is no real change in thinking.
Top winds still 50 mph. There is no Air Force plane in the system right now.
Fay is very close to the south coast of Cuba. The system is not very organized. It is in an area that is favorable for strengthening, except for the land interaction that is occurring.
It is 350 miles southeast of Key West. Moving WNW at 13 mph.
The system will move over Cuba tonight as the storm starts a northwestward and north northwestward turn. It will pass over the Keys and make landfall on the west coast of Florida. It shoul dbe a category one hurricane at that time.
In South Florida, the hurricane watch has been extended northward along the west coast to Anna Maria Island. That is just south of Tampa Bay.
The watch now covers South Florida from Anna Maria Island over to Card Sound Bridge and points south, including all of the Florida Keys. A tropical storm watch covers much ofthe rest of South Florida from Lake Okeechobee south, including West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Homestead.
Residents are being urged to review their plans and restock supplies. Visitors are being urdeg to evacuate the Keys. A general evacuation of the Keys is not expected. High profile vehicles and trucks are urged to be of the Keys by noon Monday.
The outer bands of Fay are now under the surveillance of the NWS Radar at Key West.
OBSERVATIONS FROM CUBA
Havana…Winds N 10…mostly cloudy…82F…dewpoint 75F
Varadero on the north coast…Showers…84F…winds E 7
Camaguey…Windy with light rain…E -21…gusts in last two hours to 38 mph…temp 75F
FLORIDA
Key West…Mostly sunny…86F…NE wind 15
Miami…Parlty sunny…85F…Wind E -9
