At 800 am EDT the center of Tropical Storm Bonnie was located near latitude 24.7 north, longitude 79.8 west. Bonnie is moving rapidly toward the west-northwest near 19 mph. This motion is expected to continue during the next day or so. On the forecast track Bonnie is expected to move over the southern Florida Peninsula later today and move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico tonight and Saturday. Bonnie is forecast to approach the northern Gulf Coast late Saturday or early Sunday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 40 mph with higher gusts in a small area north and east of the center. No significant change in strength is expected before Bonnie moves over South Florida. However, some slight strengthening is possible when the cyclone moves over the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 85 miles mainly to the north and east of the center. Latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force plane was 29.77 inches.