000 WTPZ41 KNHC 020303 TCDEP1 TROPICAL STORM HENRIETTE DISCUSSION NUMBER 10 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP112007 800 PM PDT SAT SEP 01 2007 THE CIRCULATION OF HENRIETTE CONTINUES TO EDGE AWAY FROM THE COAST OF MEXICO...AND IS ASSUMING A MORE SYMMETRIC CLOUD PATTERN WITH OUTFLOW WELL ESTABLISHED IN ALL QUADRANTS. SATELLITE INTENSITY ESTIMATES REMAIN 55 KT FROM TAFB AND SAB. SINCE CLASSIFICATION TIME...THERE HAVE BEEN HINTS OF A WARM SPOT DEVELOPING IN INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY AND MANUAL AODT ESTIMATES HAVE ALSO INCREASED. AS SUCH THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS INCREASED TO 60 KT. HENRIETTE IS IN A LOW SHEAR ENVIRONMENT AND OVER WARM SSTS AND IS FORECAST TO BECOME A HURRICANE IN THE NEXT 12 HOURS...PEAKING IN 24-36 HOURS IN AGREEMENT WITH THE FSU SUPER ENSEMBLE...GFDL AND THE LGEM MODELS. INTERESTINGLY...THE SHIPS MODELS RAPID INTENSITY INDEX PROBABILITY IS 60 PERCENT AND AS SUCH THE MODEL IS QUITE AGGRESSIVE AND IS FORECASTING A MAJOR HURRICANE IN 36-48 HOURS. THIS LEAVES OPEN THE POSSIBILITY THAT HENRIETTE COULD BE STRONGER THAN INDICATED IN THIS FORECAST. THERE HAS BEEN LITTLE CHANGE IN THE CURRENT MOTION WHICH IS NOW 290 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. THIS GENERAL TRACK IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 36-48 HOURS WHILE A MIDDLE-LEVEL HIGH IS CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. A VERY SHARP UPPER LEVEL TROUGH SEEN IN WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALONG 145W IS FORECAST TO MOVE EASTWARD AND WEAKEN THE HIGH...ALLOWING HENRIETTE TO TURN MORE TO THE NORTHWEST AND THEN NORTH BEYOND 48-72 HOURS. MOST OF THE AVAILABLE GUIDANCE HAS SHIFTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT AND BRINGS HENRIETTE NORTHWARD TOWARD THE COOLER WATERS JUST WEST OF BAJA CALIFORNIA AND EVENTUALLY OVER BAJA CALIFORNIA. ACCORDINGLY THE OFFICIAL FORECAST IS ADJUSTED TO THE RIGHT AND BRINGS A MUCH WEAKER HENRIETTE OVER BAJA CALIFORNIA. THE RELIABLE GFDL AND ECMWF MODELS...AS WELL AS THE CCON CONSENSUS REMAIN OUTLIERS ON THE RIGHT AND BRING HENRIETTE NORTHWARD OVER THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA...WHERE THE OCEAN IS QUITE WARM. IN THIS CASE...HENRIETTE COULD MAINTAIN ITS INTENSITY AND THE HURRICANE WOULD POSE MORE OF A DANGER TO MEXICO. ONE SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO FUTURE RUNS OF THESE TWO RELIABLE MODELS. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 02/0300Z 18.4N 106.1W 60 KT 12HR VT 02/1200Z 18.9N 107.6W 65 KT 24HR VT 03/0000Z 19.4N 109.0W 75 KT 36HR VT 03/1200Z 20.1N 110.3W 75 KT 48HR VT 04/0000Z 21.0N 111.5W 70 KT 72HR VT 05/0000Z 23.0N 113.0W 65 KT 96HR VT 06/0000Z 25.5N 114.0W 50 KT 120HR VT 07/0000Z 29.0N 114.0W 35 KT $$ FORECASTER COBB/BEVEN