Statement as of 8:00 am AST on September 04, 2008

...Hanna passing near the Bahamas...
At 800 am EDT...1200 UTC...the government of the Bahamas has
discontinued the Tropical Storm Warning for the southeastern
Bahamas and for the Turks and Caicos Islands.  A Tropical Storm
Warning remains in effect for the central and northwestern Bahamas.
A Hurricane Watch remains in effect from Surf City North Carolina
southwestward to north of Edisto Beach South Carolina...and a
tropical storm watch is in effect from Edisto Beach southwestward
to Altamaha Sound Georgia.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.

At 800 am AST...1200z...the center of Tropical Storm Hanna was
located near latitude 24.1 north...longitude 73.1 west or about 280
miles...455 km...east-southeast of Nassau and about 760 miles...1220
km...south-southeast of Wilmington North Carolina.

Hanna is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph...19 km/hr...and
this motion is expected to continue during the next couple of
days...with a gradual increase in forward speed.  On this
track...the center of Hanna will pass just east of the central and
northwestern Bahamas today...and will be near the southeast coast
of the United States by Friday or Friday night.  However...rains and
winds associated with Hanna will reach the coast well in advance of
the center.
Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph...110 km/hr...with higher
gusts.  Slight strengthening is possible during the next couple of
days...and Hanna could become a hurricane before reaching the
southeast U.S. Coast.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 290 miles...465 km
from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure recently reported by a NOAA
reconnaissance aircraft was 989 mb...29.20 inches.

Coastal storm surge flooding of 1 to 3 feet above normal tide
levels can be expected in areas of onshore winds within the Tropical
Storm Warning area.

Swells from Hanna are expected to increase the risk of dangerous rip
currents along portions of the southeastern United States coast
during the next couple of days.

Repeating the 800 am AST position...24.1 N...73.1 W.  Movement
toward...northwest near 12 mph.  Maximum sustained winds...70 mph.
Minimum central pressure...989 mb.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at
1100 am AST.

$$
Forecaster Franklin/Knabb