BILL STRENGTHENS TO A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
500 AM AST WED AUG 19 2009
AT 500 AM AST...THE CENTER OF HURRICANE BILL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.0 NORTH...LONGITUDE 54.9 WEST OR ABOUT 460 MILES...EAST OF THE LEEWARD ISLANDS.

BILL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 16 MPH...AND A GRADUAL TURN TOWARD THE NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS. ON THIS TRACK...THE CORE OF THIS DANGEROUS HURRICANE WILL BE PASSING WELL TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS LATE TODAY AND EARLY THURSDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 135 MPH...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.BILL IS A CATEGORY FOUR HURRICANE ON THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE. SOME ADDITIONAL STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS. A NOAA HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT IS CURRENTLY ENROUTE TO INVESTIGATE BILL.