ZCZC NFDSCCNS2 ALL TTAA00 KNFD DDHHMM STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 59 FOR T.D. "GEORGES" NATIONAL CENTERS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER...NWS...CAMP SPRINGS MD 600 PM CDT TUE SEP 29 1998 AT 500 PM CDT THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION ASSOCIATED WITH "GEORGES" WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE NORTH OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS OF ABOUT 30 MPH ARE NOW BEING REPORTED WITH HIGHER GUSTS PRIMARILY OVER THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE SYSTEM SLOWLY MOVES EAST-NORTHEASTWARD TO A POSITION NEAR SOUTHWEST GEORGIA BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. AT THE CURRENT TIME...RADAR AND SATELLITE IMAGERY ARE STILL SHOWING A WELL-DEFINED CIRCULATION WITH "GEORGES". MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO IS STREAMING NORTHWARD AROUND THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE STORM SUPPORTING AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF HEAVY RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHWEST FLORIDA...NORTHWARD TO NORTHERN GEORGIA. MEANWHILE...DRY AIR BEING WRAPPED INTO THE CIRCULATION ON THE WESTERN SIDE HAS BROUGHT THE HEAVY RAIN TO AN END OVER MISSISSIPPI AND WESTERN ALABAMA. THE BIG STORY WITH "GEORGES" WILL CONTINUE TO BE EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL ALONG WITH THE THREAT OF TORNADOES ALONG ITS EASTERN EDGE. BANDS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE CONTINUING TO MOVE ACROSS NORTHWEST FLORIDA INTO EASTERN ALABAMA AND GEORGIA. THIS RAIN WILL BE ADDING TO VERY HIGH RAINFALL TOTALS THAT HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THE STORM MADE LANDFALL OVER SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI EARLY MONDAY MORNING. SATELLITE AND RADAR ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT SOME LOCATIONS IN SOUTHEASTERN MISSISSIPPI...SOUTHWESTERN ALABAMA...AND THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 30 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING WHEN RAINBANDS BEGAN COMING ASHORE. SOME REPORTED 6 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS ENDING 100 PM CDT INCLUDE: ...ALABAMA... MONTGOMERY 2.01 INCHES OZARK 2.23 INCHES TROY 2.90 INCHES ...FLORIDA... PANAMA CITY 4.20 INCHES CRESTVIEW 1.45 INCHES MARIANA 1.99 INCHES AS A RESULT OF THE VERY HEAVY RAIN THERE ARE CURRENTLY FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS IN EFFECT FOR A PORTION OF NORTHERN FLORIDA AND SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. THERE ARE ALSO FLASH FLOOD WATCHES IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN ALABAMA...A LARGE PORTION OF NORTHERN FLORIDA....WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN GEORGIA AND THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAINS...AND UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA. IN ADDITION...SINCE DECAYING TROPICAL SYSTEMS FREQUENTLY PRODUCE TORNADOES AFTER MAKING LANDFALL...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 AM CDT FOR NORTHERN FLORIDA...SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL GEORGIA...AND ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS. FINALLY...SMALL CRAFT ARE BEING URGED TO REMAIN IN PORT ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO UNTIL WINDS AND SEAS SUBSIDE. THE NEXT STORM SUMMARY WILL BE ISSUED BY HPC AT MIDNIGHT CDT. KORTY/FORECAST OPERATIONS BRANCH NNNN