000 WTPZ42 KNHC 211455 TCDEP2 HURRICANE IVO DISCUSSION NUMBER 13 NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL EP122007 800 AM PDT FRI SEP 21 2007 WHILE BOTH TRMM AND AMSR-E MICROWAVE PASSES FROM AROUND 0900 UTC DEPICTED AN EYE FEATURE...CONVENTIONAL SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS THAT THE OVERALL CLOUD PATTERN OF IVO HAS DETERIORATED. CLOUD TOPS HAVE WARMED AND WESTERLY SHEAR IS STILL IMPINGING UPON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CYCLONE. EVEN THOUGH DVORAK CURRENT INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM TAFB AND SAB REMAIN AT 77 KT...PRIMARILY DUE TO CONSTRAINTS...3- AND 6-HOURLY ADT INTENSITY ESTIMATES FROM CIMSS ARE ONLY 45-55 KT. BASED ON THE ABOVE...THE INITIAL INTENSITY IS LOWERED TO 65 KT...WHICH STILL COULD BE GENEROUS. FIRST LIGHT VISIBLE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT THE CENTER OF IVO COULD BE SLIGHTLY TO THE EAST OF THE CURRENT ADVISORY LOCATION. IVO CONTINUES TO DECELERATE AND THE ESTIMATED MOTION IS NOW 350/6. A LARGE MID- TO UPPER-LEVEL LOW DIGGING SOUTHWARD IS CURRENTLY CENTERED OFF THE COAST OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA...AND A NORTH-SOUTH ORIENTED RIDGE IS SITUATED TO THE EAST OF IVO. THE FORECAST TRACK OF IVO IS HIGHLY DEPENDENT UPON THE STRENGTH OF THESE TWO FEATURES. THE DYNAMICAL MODEL GUIDANCE IS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THE LOW SHOULD MOVE NORTHEASTWARD IN 36 HOURS OR SO...BUT DISAGREE IN HOW MUCH TROUGHING WILL LINGER BEHIND TO MAINTAIN A NORTHWARD TO NORTHEAST MOTION OF IVO. THE HWRF...NOGAPS...AND UKMET MODELS KEEP ENOUGH TROUGHING TO INDUCE A MORE NORTHWARD TO NORTHEASTWARD MOTION WITH A TRACK ACROSS SOUTHERN BAJA IN 3 OR SO DAYS. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE GFS...ECMWF...AND GFDL SOLUTIONS STALL IVO WELL TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE BAJA PENINSULA. DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY...THE OFFICIAL TRACK FORECAST IS AN UPDATE OF THE PREVIOUS TRACK AND TAKES THE CENTER OF IVO ACROSS THE BAJA PENINSULA IN 72 HOURS OR SO...IN LINE WITH THE HWRF...NOGAPS...UKMET SUITE. BASED ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY THE WESTERLY SHEAR APPEARS TO BE STRONGER THAN THE SHIPS AND DYNAMICAL MODELS ARE INDICATING...AND A WEAKENING TREND APPEARS TO BE UNDERWAY. DESPITE THE WARM WATERS... THE WESTERLY SHEAR AND POSSIBLY DRY AIR COULD INHIBIT ANY RESTRENGTHENING. THE OFFICIAL INTENSITY FORECAST IS ADJUSTED DOWNWARD FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST DUE TO THE CURRENT APPEARANCE OF THE CYCLONE...AND FOLLOWS A BLEND OF THE SHIPS AND GFDL GUIDANCE. ONCE AGAIN...GIVEN THE EXTREME UNCERTAINTY PRESENT IN THE OFFICIAL FORECAST AT THIS TIME...INTERESTS IN SOUTHERN BAJA CALIFORNIA SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF IVO. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INITIAL 21/1500Z 19.5N 113.4W 65 KT 12HR VT 22/0000Z 20.4N 113.4W 60 KT 24HR VT 22/1200Z 21.3N 113.1W 60 KT 36HR VT 23/0000Z 22.1N 112.8W 60 KT 48HR VT 23/1200Z 23.0N 112.5W 55 KT 72HR VT 24/1200Z 24.5N 112.0W 50 KT...NEAR BAJA PENINSULA 96HR VT 25/1200Z 26.0N 111.5W 40 KT...INLAND 120HR VT 26/1200Z 27.5N 111.5W 30 KT...OVER WATER $$ FORECASTER MAINELLI