Hurricane GORDON

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HURRICANE GORDON DISCUSSION NUMBER  36
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL072006
500 PM EDT TUE SEP 19 2006
 
GORDON HAS BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN A REMARKABLY WELL-ORGANIZED CLOUD
PATTERN AND IN FACT...THERE IS A CLOSED EYEWALL ON THE LATEST AMSU
PASS AT 1728 UTC...AND AN EYE FEATURE ON THE LATEST IR IMAGE.
EVEN THOUGH T-NUMBERS HAVE BEGUN TO COME DOWN...INTENSITY ESTIMATES
SUPPORT 75 KNOTS. GORDON IS STILL DETACHED FROM THE COLD FRONT TO
THE NORTH BUT IT SHOULD BEGIN ITS EXTRATROPICAL TRANSITION
SOON...AND IS EXPECTED TO BECOME FULLY EXTRATROPICAL IN ABOUT 24
HOURS.   
 
THERE IS NOT MUCH TO ADD TO THE MOTION EXCEPT THAT THE HURRICANE IS
RACING EASTWARD AT 29 KNOTS AND WILL CONTINUE ON THIS GENERAL TRACK
STEERED BY THE MIDLATITUDE WESTERLY FLOW. GORDON IS EXPECTED TO
MOVE ACROSS THE AZORES TONIGHT AS A HURRICANE AND WILL BE NEARING
PORTUGAL AND NORTHWEST SPAIN LATE WEDNESDAY AS A STRONG
EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE OR BORRASCA...AS THEY CALL IT IN SPAIN.  
 
FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS
 
INITIAL      19/2100Z 37.9N  31.6W    75 KT
 12HR VT     20/0600Z 38.1N  26.0W    65 KT
 24HR VT     20/1800Z 39.0N  18.0W    55 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
 36HR VT     21/0600Z 42.1N  10.0W    45 KT...EXTRATROPICAL
 48HR VT     21/1800Z...ABSORBED BY A FRONTAL SYSTEM
 
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FORECASTER AVILA
 
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